Mikel Arteta makes Arsenal fixture congestion point as thoughts on strike action crystal clear

Mikel Arteta believes that it is not fair for Arsenal’sLeague Cup quarter-final with Crystal Palace to be moved.

Arsenal travel to Burnley for this afternoon’s Premier League meeting, just four days after their cup win over Brighton, with the decision on when the clash with Crystal Palace will be played yet to be taken. It is understood that the Gunners’ preference is for the match to take place on December 16.

Arteta had initially been asked for his view on whether fixture congestion was beginning to affect players and supporters, to which he made it clear these aspects should always be the priority in any decision-making process.

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“Well, every decision that we make in terms of a fixture has to be guided on two main things, I think: Players' welfare and then the supporters. That's it," he said.

“And the rest has to come very, very far away from that, and we should never forget that principle. That's the only thing I would say.”

Amid suggestions that players, like Manchester City’s Rodri suggested in 2024, could be close to strike action, the Arsenal boss was keen to steer the conversation away from this eventuality.

“Hopefully not,” he replied. “If we look after the players' welfare and our supporters, I think we're never going to get to that point, and that's it. We have to close the window there. We cannot open that window. It has to be closed.

“It's our most precious value. We have the best league in the world, and we cannot just open any window for anything just to lose that because we don't respect that, and we forget what we are made of and what makes this game and this league so, so special and if we respect that, I'm sure we're going to be totally fine.”

Arteta will again be missing Gabriel Martinelli for the match at Turf Moor, injured in the last meeting with Crystal Palace in the Premier League last week. William Saliba was also missing but could be in with a chance of returning this weekend, which will come as a significant boost despite Cristhian Mosquera’s impressive performance against the Seagulls on Wednesday.

The pair joined a group of four others sidelined with problems, testing the depth of the Arsenal squad, who suffered 27 separate injuries last season, which effectively put pay to their title hopes.

The Spaniard made ten changes for his side’s victory over Brighton, while Arne Slot’s heavily changed Liverpool eleven, featuring many youngsters, were beaten by Oliver Glasner’s Eagles.

At present, Palace could have four games in eight days this December due to league, cup and European commitments. That said, Arteta was clear that the meeting due to be played on the week commencing December 15 should not be changed.

“I don't think that's fair because we have other competitions as well, so we have to try to accommodate. We knew at the start of the season the competitions that each club is playing in. I don't think it would be fair. On balance, we have to try to accommodate the best possible way for everybody.”

Put to the Spaniard whether a gap just before Christmas was the only option, he was quick to snap back that this is not the case. “No, there are others, believe me, there are options much better than that one,” he said.