Fixtures headache could see 9 games for United in April
UNITED could face the busiest April in their recent history after the Premier League confirmed their fixture schedule for next month.
If United overcome FC Rostov in the Europa League round-of-16 this month and the Manchester derby is rescheduled for its next available slot, Jose Mourinho’s players will play a mammoth nine games within 30 days in the penultimate month of the season.
Irrespective of whether United beat Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-final, they are guaranteed to play at least six domestic games in April and their Europa League campaign could continue with two quarter-final ties.
The week beginning April 24 has a free midweek with no Uefa matches scheduled, which could lead to the Manchester derby being rescheduled for Wednesday, April 26, three days after United travel to Burnley. They end the month with the visit of Swansea on April 30.
The last time United played nine matches within a single month was during the infamous December 2013 under David Moyes, who presided over successive home defeats to Everton and Newcastle.
United previously played eight matches in April in the 1999-00, 2006-07, 07-08, 08-09 and 10-11 campaigns, as they competed on numerous fronts at home and abroad. Mourinho experienced similar Aprils with Chelsea in 2004-05, 06-07 and 2013-14.
The advent of the Champions League and League Cup progression have contributed to jammed Decembers for United but they have never played as many as nine games in one month during the business end of the season.
United’s passage through to the FA Cup quarter-finals has left them with games in hand at City and Southampton but, despite having a free midweek after their EFL Cup final triumph while City hosted Huddersfield in their fifth round replay last night, United have not travelled down to St Mary’s.
Should United defeat Chelsea in their Monday night quarter-final later this month, their away match at Burnley on April 23 will have to be rescheduled, leaving just two free midweeks before the final game of the season against Crystal Palace.
Uefa rules stipulate domestic club matches must not clash with Champions League or Europa League ties – which rules out Tuesday to Thursday slots.
Regardless of United’s European progress only the weeks beginning April 24 and May 15 are free.