The Premier League have confirmed some schedule changes for April, with Manchester City’s Champions League progress giving Pep Guardiola’s side a packed schedule
Arsenal’s exit from the Europa League may have given them a competitive advantage over Manchester City in the Premier League title race.
The Gunners were knocked out of the competition on penalties by Sporting Lisbon on Thursday night after the home and away game ended 3-3 on aggregate. Mikel Arteta was disappointed with the result afterwards, but the potentially positive ripple effects immediately became clear on Saturday when the Premier League announced fixtures for next month.
Results in the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League allowed the Premier League to decide the schedule in April. Top-flight chiefs have put the pieces of the puzzle together – and the results show the grueling nature of City’s month.
Unlike Arsenal, City are staying in Europe after devastating RB Leipzig in the Champions League Round of 16. Pep Guardiola’s side demolished the German side 7-0 on Wednesday night to progress 8-1 on aggregate, with Erling Haaland scoring five times.
Their reward is a quarter-final against Guardiola’s former club Bayern Munich. City have never won the Champions League and Guardiola is determined to put it right, but battling it out on both fronts won’t be easy, even with the club’s impressive squad depth.
City will play eight matches over the 30 days of April, with six Premier League games squashed around their home and away fixtures against Bayern. Arsenal, on the other hand, can focus solely on the Premier League and maintain a five-point lead over their rivals.
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Arsenal are aiming to win the Premier League for the first time in 19 years but, speaking fresh from their loss to Sporting, Arteta did not see his Europa League exit as a blessing in disguise.
“I can’t see it today that way,” he told reporters. “You pass the competition and you win, it’s magnificent. If it doesn’t and it affects your plans in the league, that’s another story, but we wanted to go all the way.
“We put in everything and with the effort the boys put in when it wasn’t our best day individually and collectively, the hunger and desire they showed to win was unbelievable. We really wanted it and it didn’t happen. We must raise our heads, seek [Crystal] Palace. It is what it is. There are 11 matches and the first starts on Sunday.
Manchester City fixtures in April
Manchester City vs Liverpool, April 1, 12:30 p.m.
Southampton v Manchester City, April 8, 5:30 p.m.
Manchester City vs Bayern Munich, April 11, 8 p.m.
Manchester City v Leicester, April 15, 5:30 p.m.
Bayern Munich vs Manchester City, April 19, 8 p.m.
Brighton v Manchester City, April 23, 4:30 p.m.
Manchester City vs Arsenal, April 26, 8 p.m.
Fulham v Manchester City, April 30, 2pm
Arsenal matches in April
Arsenal v Leeds United, April 1, 3pm
Liverpool v Arsenal, April 9, 4:30 p.m.
West Ham v Arsenal, April 16, 2pm
Arsenal v Southampton, April 21, 8 p.m.
Manchester City vs Arsenal, April 26, 8 p.m.
Arsenal v Chelsea, April 29, 5:30 p.m.
