Why does Manchester City have to play twice in 48 hours while Manchester United is caught up in the fixture farce crossfire?
Manchester City are still waiting for a fixed date for their Carabao Cup match, and a Manchester United matchup has added to the scheduling issues.
City will host Watford in the Carabao Cup third round but a date for the tie is yet to be confirmed
The Blues face Arsenal in a crucial Premier League match on the Sunday before, but the cup tie with the Hornets cannot be played on Wednesday – the most convenient date for City, who travel to Newcastle United for the lunchtime kickoff on the following Saturday – due to a clash with Manchester United’s Europa League tie with FC Twente.
The expanded UEFA schedule for Champions League and Europa League group stages has caused a difficulty with City’s Etihad date for the Watford match. The EFL, UEFA, and Premier League have discussed resolving the issue.
City will host Watford in the Carabao Cup third round, although a date for the match has yet to be determined.
Manchester City must play twice in 48 hours after their Carabao Cup match against Watford was scheduled for Tuesday, September 24.
The Blues face Arsenal in a crucial Premier League match on the Sunday before, but the cup tie with the Hornets cannot be played on Wednesday – the most convenient date for City, who travel to Newcastle United for the lunchtime kickoff on the following Saturday – due to a clash with Manchester United’s Europa League tie with FC Twente.
The expanded UEFA schedule for Champions League and Europa League group stages has caused a difficulty with City’s Etihad date for the Watford match. The EFL, UEFA, and Premier League have discussed resolving the issue.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were reportedly reluctant to allow both teams to play at home on the same night. The last time this occurred was in October 2015.
However, under UEFA’s new group stage schedule, all Europa League games for matchday one are planned for Wednesday and Thursday of that week, and it is thought the governing body requested United’s encounter take place on September 25. UEFA’s club tournament takes precedence on the calendar, and they refused to relocate the match.
That put the schedule
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were reportedly reluctant to allow both teams to play at home on the same night. The last time this happened was October 2015.
An easy option would have been to reschedule United’s Europa League match for the following evening. They play Southampton in the Saturday midday kick-off the previous weekend and then face Tottenham at home at 4.30pm the following Sunday, allowing them to play on Thursday night.
However, under UEFA’s new group stage schedule, all Europa League games for matchday one are planned for Wednesday and Thursday of that week, and it is thought the governing body requested United’s encounter take place on September 25. UEFA’s club tournament takes precedence on the calendar, and they refused to relocate the match.
The timetable was strained, resulting in a’scheduling struggle’ among Manchester City, Manchester United, and GMP.
Pep Guardiola and City are unlikely to be impressed with the football authorities’ logistical decisions putting their welfare at danger. Last season, City’s manager criticized the team’s schedule for having fewer than three days between a Champions League quarter-final and an FA Cup semi-final.
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