Arsenal fan group ‘disappointed’ as final home fixture moved to Monday night
The title-chasing Gunners face Burnley in an 8pm kick-off on Monday, with their final game of the season at Crystal Palace on Sunday 24 May.
The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust urged the club and the Premier League to “do more so that scheduling better reflects the needs of match-going supporters.”
“Arsenal Supporters Trust is disappointed with the Arsenal v Burnley kick-off at 8pm on Monday. The timing creates obvious difficulties for both sets of supporters, particularly those who travel or rely on public transport, and increases costs and disruption,” the fans’ group said in a statement.
“As the last home game of the season, it also means the traditional lap of appreciation won’t take place until 10 p.m., making it less accessible for many fans.
“We engaged with Arsenal ahead of the recent broadcast deal, recognising that clubs, including Arsenal, have a role to play in agreeing to these deals and saying that this would give more weight to the impact the games have on supporters.
“While we understand the significant financial benefits involved and how they support the club’s growth, we would urge both Arsenal and the Premier League to do more so that the scheduling better reflects the needs of match-going supporters,” the statement added.
The decision is the latest to cause controversy between fan groups and clubs after Manchester City tried to get around two fixtures with Bournemouth and Crystal Palace ahead of the final few days of the season.
City’s preference was to reverse their postponed fixture order and play Bournemouth in midweek before the FA Cup final on May 16 and then face Crystal Palace after that match, but the Premier League rejected the idea.
Now, Pep Guardiola’s side face four games in their final 12 days of the season as they bid for a domestic treble. Title rivals Arsenal also have four games in their 12-day period, as they take on Atletico Madrid in a two-legged Champions League semi-final tie while also taking on Fulham and West Ham in the league between April 29 and May 10.
