English Premier League manager slams ‘diabolical’ fixtures

Premier League champions Chelsea, Cup winners four times since 2007, take on third-tier Scunthorpe United at Stamford Bridge and 11-times winners Manchester United renew an old rivalry with third-tier Sheffield United at Old Trafford.

Gibson has made just four substitute appearances in the Premier League this season and reports on Merseyside have indicated that Everton are ready to let him leave on loan this month. The 35/1 (36.0) on offer appeals for a team who are surely safe from relegation for another year and for whom another cup run could take priority as the season rolls on.

“If we didn’t have a midweek fixture, a stronger team would be playing [against Arsenal].” said Allardyce.

This will all be music to the ears of Exeter’s players, whose team is 16th in the 24-team League Two – a gap of 76 places to Liverpool in the English soccer ladder.

West Bromwich Albion are charging 1993 ticket prices for this weekend’s FA Cup third-round tie at home to Bristol City to entice fans to the Hawthorns but manager Tony Pulis fears fixture congestion is undermining the competition.

“I think it’s an important competition, and hopefully we’ll be able to kick-start things there”. “Everybody dreams of winning the FA Cup”. The visit of Sunderland to the Emirates is one of five all-top-flight ties in round three. Leicester will be without 15-goal top scorer Jamie Vardy, who is due to undergo minor groin surgery, but the England striker is expected to be fit for the teams’ reunion in the league three days later.

Cech certainly has the experience to make a difference in a Cup Final, so it will be very interesting to see if Arsene Wenger even picks Petr to play his weekend as Le Prof has traditionally played his substitute keeper in all the cup games.

Elsewhere, Southampton are at home to Crystal Palace and in-form Watford entertain Newcastle.

Lip service is given to the competition, they “love the FA Cup”, “of course we want to win it” but statements such as these come with a caveat, a “but” that may not be said publicly, however it looms large. Equally, Manchester City will have their eyes on a prize bigger than the FA Cup, though possibly for differing reasons; manager Manuel Pellegrini is coming under scrutiny with both an inconsistent Premier League campaign and Pep Guardiola making his desire to manage in England next season public knowledge.