The Premier League’s decision to reschedule the fixture between Man City and Stoke has been branded ridiculous and wrong in most quarters with few understanding the logic behind it. I am one of those who find it hard to fathom, especially given what is potentially at stake.
The word from top supposedly is that they can’t play the game in the first week of May because it clashes with the Champions League fixture at Old Trafford – what a ridiculous reason. I accept that you cannot have the game on the same Wednesday, I am not that naive, but what is wrong with the Tuesday or Thursday of that week?
Please don’t tell me that that the decision has been made because teams need a greater recovery time between fixtures as it doesn’t wash and I can list you many times where that hasn’t come into consideration in the past. I remember Tottenham having to play an away Europa League tie on the Thursday night, before having to play Chelsea in a 12.45pm kick-off on the Saturday; however I don’t remember much sympathy being handed out there about our own fixture congestion. You just accept it as one of the pitfalls of being successful in competitions, yet the Premier League has decided to make an exception this season.
I know to some this may seem like a non argument and there is every chance that the toss up as to who will finish 4th will have already been decided before the final game, but is it really worth the risk? Whatever you say about the integrity of the game; should Stoke lose handing both teams the place they both crave in Europe then people are going to question the motives. Maybe the Premier League don’t see this potential scenario as that important, but would it have been the same decision had Manchester United been in the final and the fate of the title rested on that last game, where it actually paid for the opposition to lose on this occasion? It wouldn’t have been allowed to happen and that is what is so frustrating. Don’t get me wrong if Man City and Stoke were both playing games in midweek for the rest of the season then I could understand it, but the fact remains they don’t therefore there is little reason not to fit this fixture in before the season’s end. The Premier League have made a rod for their own back with this decision and one that no doubt clubs will look to test in the future.