We HAVE already reached the point where postponing games is damaging the integrity of the Premier League
SAYS GUNNERS BOSS MIKEL ARTETA
MIKEL ARTETA claims the integrity of this Premier League season has already been badly damaged by the sheer volume of postponed fixtures.
The top flight has had to reschedule 21 games of this campaign already, compared to six in 2020-21.
The latest to fall victim was Arsenal’s scheduled visit to Tottenham today for what was to be the second north London derby of the season.
Burnley’s clash with Leicester, due to take place yesterday, became the first of this weekend’s fixtures to bite the dust, on Friday morning.
Later that day, Arsenal submitted a request to have their game against Spurs pushed back – and the Premier League board granted their wish after a meeting yesterday morning.
The Gunners have now had two games postponed due to Covid this season, while Burnley have had four.
Meaning that, incredibly,
Sean Dyche’s (right) men — whose game against Spurs in December was postponed because of snow — now have
FIVE games in hand on some teams in the division.
The disruptions are a cause of much consternation, even if there is an acceptance that we are living in unprecedented times. And Arteta is among those managers growing more and more frustrated with the way things are going.
The Gunners boss said: “We have already reached a point where postponing games is damaging the integrity of the Premier League.
“You talk about a team like Burnley that is behind by those numbers, it’s not the same level of competition, it’s not the same level of availability. “I don’t know when they’re going to have to play those games.
“It changes things. It’s not the regulations we are used to. We are trying to adapt, everyone is trying to do their best, but it’s a big question mark.”
Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl questioned earlier this month whether teams should be able to play January signings in games which were originally scheduled to take place before they had been registered with their new clubs.
Aston Villa, for example, will be stronger for their rearranged clash with Burnley after adding Philippe Coutinho and Lucas Digne last week.
While Newcastle will have Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood available as things stand for their games at Everton and Southampton, after signing them in the fortnight which followed the postponement of those fixtures. But
Arteta added: “That’s the minimum of the problems. You must then ask how many Covid players have you had.
“Six? And someone else had zero. Or the manager is sick. It’s difficult.”
There are also concerns within the game that some clubs are abusing the Premier League’s Covid postponement protocols to cover themselves.
Announcing the postponement of Spurs-Arsenal the Premier League said: “The decision is a result of a combination of Covid-19, existing and recent injuries and players on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.
“All clubs are able to apply for a postponement if Covid-19 infections are a factor in their request.”