UEFA ‘are open to letting postponed Premier League matches be rearranged for European nights’

UEFA are preparing to allow matches in the English top flight take place on European nights as a result of the fixture congestion caused by postponements in the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s death.

The European governing body are considering allowing Premier League games take place on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday in order to ease the pressure on English sides, after several games had been called off.

Premier League clubs already have a jam-packed fixture list as a result of the mid-season break for the Qatar World Cup, beginning in late November.

Manchester United are among the sides to have called off Premier League games this weekend

UEFA sources told i that they were open to allowing the games to take place on nights that have previously been off limits, although exception was notably made last year as a result of Covid-19.

The governing body gave the Premier League permission to pencil in games on European nights, with several sides having to cancel games at short notice due to a lack of available players in the 2021-22 season.

The hectic cramming in of fixtures between September and the start of the World Cup in November had already come under scathing criticism, and further postponement has made life even harder for clubs.

Fixtures were postponed on the weekend following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II

The final round of games is due to be played on the weekend of November 12 and players will have a break of just two days after the World Cup final before a round of Carabao Cup matches are to be played.

With a two-week international break at the end of September, there are no other midweek slots available to schedule postponed games, with four weeks of European fixtures, one of Carabao Cup clashes and a round of Premier League matches.

Arsenal’s clash with Manchester City, which was due to take place on October 19, has been scrapped to allow the Gunners’ cancelled meeting with PSV Eindhoven to take place, with the two bodies already cooperating swiftly and effectively.

Chelsea’s clash against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge has also been postponed this weekend

Manchester United’s scheduled grudge match against Leeds and Chelsea’s clash with Liverpool – both due to take place on Sunday – have also been scrapped due to lack of police resourcing.

However with United, Liverpool and Chelsea all already featuring on European nights anyway, neither game can be rescheduled before the World Cup break anyway, while sides not featuring in European competitions will be free to do so.

English clubs faced a fine of £1million in 2013 after scheduling games on European nights, despite the fact that it is not an official UEFA regulation, but a Memorandum of Understanding with the European Leagues body.