Aston Villa and Arsenal: The Mystery Behind Premier League Scheduling
Have you ever wondered why not all Premier League teams face each other during the season? It’s a perplexing situation that has caught the attention of eagle-eyed fans, especially this week as Aston Villa prepares to meet league leaders Arsenal for the second time this season, even though they have yet to contend with Nottingham Forest.
This scheduling quirk is something that has left Villa's head coach, Unai Emery, scratching his head. In his 20 years of coaching experience, he remarked, "It’s the first time I’ve encountered finishing the first half of the season without playing against every team." He expressed his confusion, stating, "I don’t know why this is happening. It’s the only aspect that puzzles me, but I accept it nonetheless.”
Adding to the intrigue, Damian Vidagany, Aston Villa’s director of football, pointed out what he perceives as a potential bias in the fixture arrangements, labeling the situation as "a mystery." In a post on X, he mentioned, "I inquired about it, but the answers eluded us. This creates a scenario where some clubs may benefit from a more convenient schedule, especially during the hectic Christmas period.
"Take a look at which clubs are playing at home for both their last and next matches. It's worth noting that having to play two away games within 72 hours is never ideal, while playing twice at home clearly aids in recovery. We certainly have no influence over this situation—it would be unacceptable if fixture arrangements were manipulated for political reasons,” he added.
In the Premier League, teams will play the remaining opponent they haven't faced yet during the weekend of round 20. This approach aims to provide a more balanced sequence of home and away matches throughout the season.
The Premier League maintains continuous communication with the clubs regarding scheduling, which helps accommodate various requests from teams about specific dates. There have been instances in previous seasons where fixtures were reversed; for example, in the 2021-22 season, Villa played Chelsea away in round four, then hosted them again in round 19. While there is no explicit rule against such scheduling, the league strives to ensure that if a team plays away on Boxing Day, they won’t find themselves away again on New Year’s Day.
The process of creating the fixture list begins once the competition’s playing dates and international schedules are confirmed. Clubs, fan representatives, stakeholders, and authorities are all consulted to determine if there are any dates that should be avoided for games.
For instance, Manchester United might request not to host a match in August if a Test cricket match is concurrently taking place at Old Trafford cricket ground. Additionally, clubs can ask not to compete against certain teams on Boxing Day, as the Premier League seeks to minimize travel distances for away teams during the busy holiday periods.
Special thanks to Craig from Glasgow and Phil from southwest London for their insightful questions!
This article is part of the BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything series, where we strive to answer your queries and illuminate the intricacies of the beautiful game.
