The English Football Association (FA) have presented a formal request to the Premier League requesting matches between the “Big Six” not to be scheduled on the weekend prior to the World Cup begins, sources have told.
Britain manager Gareth Southgate is worried about the eight-day turnaround between the delay in the domestic season and the first round of games in Qatar, with the Three Lions because of play Iran in Doha on the opening day, Nov. 21.
The Premier League’s final fixtures before the competition occur on Nov. 12-13 and the FA have asked that no games between Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham happen on that weekend.
Fixtures for the Premier League are produced indiscriminately through a system created by Atos – – a digital organization involved since the league’s origin in 1992 – – yet subjected to certain “golden rules.”
These incorporate no team playing more than two sequential matches at home or away, and two clubs in closeness in a similar city – – for instance Everton and Liverpool or City and United – – both playing at home around the same day for policing reasons.
The FA believe it is hence sensible to include a special golden rule a one-off basis given the Qatar World Cup’s uncommon scheduling in the middle of the regular season.
Southgate featured the issue while talking about the troubles presented by a winter World Cup in March.
“What would help is if we don’t get a derby or those sorts of ‘big six’ games,” he said at the time.
“But it’s not the fault of the League the World Cup is being held in the winter.”