Manchester City have been left frustrated after being told by the Premier League they must play three games in seven days as they chase two trophies during a hectic end to the season.
Pep Guardiola’s side are in contention to win the Premier League title and the FA Cup ahead of the final month of the campaign.
But sources have told ESPN that club bosses are frustrated that the team will have to navigate a fixture backlog in the last two weeks.
City are set to play Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium on May 13 followed by the FA Cup final against Chelsea on May 16.
Guardiola’s team will then have to travel to the Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth on May 19 ahead of the final game of the season against Aston Villa at the Etihad on May 24.
City, according to sources, put forward different options to the Premier League for when the games could be played, but negotiations with the authorities were unsuccessful.
City are particularly frustrated with the scheduling of games against Burnley and Crystal Palace.
Sources have told ESPN that City bosses believe they should have been allowed to play Palace in the week commencing April 20 when instead they were told they would face Burnley.
City’s reasoning is that there is limited availability for the scheduling of the Palace fixture because they are still in European competition.
The club have argued that they could have played Burnley — who are not in Europe — in a week when Palace have commitments in the UEFA Conference League.
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Sources have told ESPN that City are disappointed that the Premier League has taken nearly three months to reschedule the Palace game despite knowing on Feb. 4 — when City booked their place in the Carabao Cup final — that the game would need to be moved.
Arsenal, the other Carabao Cup finalist, played their fixture rearranged from the same weekend — the 2-2 draw with Wolves at Molineux — on Feb. 18 despite the week being reserved for European knock-out fixtures.
According to sources, City argue that the Premier League principle of rescheduling games for the earliest possible date has not been followed.
Guardiola’s team are three points behind Arsenal with a game in hand.
Arsenal, who play Fulham at the Emirates on Saturday, could move six points clear at the top before City play again, against Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday.
Manchester City’s remaining fixtures
May 4: Everton (a)
May 9: Brentford (h)
May 13: Crystal Palace (h)
May 16: Chelsea (Wembley, FA Cup Final)
May 19: Bournemouth (a)
May 24: Aston Villa (h)
