Everton will now make the trip to the Emirates to take on Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday, March 14
A general view outside Arsenal's Emirates Stadium
A general view outside Arsenal's Emirates Stadium(Image: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
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Everton’s Premier League fixture Arsenal has been moved at just a fortnight’s notice. The game had been scheduled to take place on the afternoon of Sunday, March 15 (2pm kick-off).
But Friday’s Champions League draw has confirmed the second leg of the Gunners’ last-16 tie with Bayer Leverkusen will be held on the following Tuesday (March 17), meaning the Everton match has been moved forward to Saturday, March 14 with a 5.30pm kick-off.
The Premier League, which have now confirmed the change, had warned the fixture could be rearranged at short notice after stating earlier in the week that its pleas to UEFA about working the Champions League games around its schedule had fallen on deaf ears.
The organisation said it had told UEFA that Arsenal would not be able to play the following Tuesday but it moved to alert supporters to the potential for a late fixture change before Friday’s draw.
Once that pitted the Gunners' second leg on the Tuesday night, the game against the Blues being moved from the Sunday was inevitable.
Everton had no say on the decision but the ECHO understands the club made representations against the match being held at 8pm on the Saturday night in the hope of limiting the disruption that will be caused to travelling supporters.
The change comes just three months after the Blues' home game with Arsenal was moved at short notice as part of a Premier League and Carabao Cup schedule pile-up for Mikel Arteta’s side over Christmas.
The Premier League, which has an unprecedented nine clubs in European competition this season, said in a statement on Tuesday: “The Premier League confirmed the above fixtures on 21 January and advised UEFA that clubs scheduled to play on Sunday 15 March would not be available to play Champions League fixtures on Tuesday 17 March.
“Unfortunately, UEFA has not been able to provide any guarantees on its scheduling ahead of the draw. As a result, the Premier League now faces the possibility of re-scheduling its fixtures at even shorter notice, at the inconvenience of supporters and clubs. The Premier League will continue its regular dialogue with UEFA over fixture scheduling.”
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