Mikel Arteta has called on the Premier League to scrap the Wednesday-Saturday lunchtime turnaround as Arsenal prepare to face Aston Villa just 63 hours after their crunch clash with Manchester City.
Arsenal’s top-of-the-table tussle ended around 9.30pm on Wednesday, two and half days before they visit Villa Park.
Title rivals City return to action a few hours later, away to Nottingham Forest at 3pm.
Following a meeting in May 2021, teams in European action never play earlier than 3pm on the following Saturday and on Friday.
Arteta said: ‘There are certain rules with the Champions League - when you are playing on Wednesday night and then you cannot play (on Saturday lunchtime).