Arsenal have been handed a crazy end to the season after the FA rescheduled our two fixtures with Sunderland and Southampton, leaving us with five matches to play within the final 14 days of the term.
The English footballing governing body has had plenty of time to arrange our matches, with us qualifying for the semi-final of the FA Cup over a month ago, but after leaving it in limbo for this long, we have now been burdened by the decision.
Our season was already looking tricky, having lost to Crystal Palace on Monday to leave us seven points behind Manchester City in the fourth and final Champions League qualification spot, and now we will have to chase down our rivals in the toughest way possible.
Of our EIGHT Premier League matches remaining between now and the May 21st end of season showdown with Everton, we have to play five of those from May 7, starting with Manchester United. We follow that with trips to Southampton and Stoke City with two days rest between matches, before hosting Sunderland on Tuesday May 16.
Should we beat Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final, we will have to play the final at Wembley six days after the Premier League season finishes, complicating things further, although we may have to prioritise the league matches should our hopes of reaching the top four remain intact.
Manchester United’s remaining matches had looked the toughest of the top six, having trips to Chelsea, Tottenham and us left to play, and the FA have just given Liverpool and Man City a huge advantage as they look to seal Champions League football for next term.
Are we now destined for Europa League football for the first time since the competition’s creation in 2010? Should we complain about the FA’s failure to rearrange the matches sooner?
Pat J