Arsenal’s final home fixture of the Premier League season has been rescheduled for Monday 18 May in a decision that has left supporters groups “disappointed”.
The title-chasing Gunners will face Burnley in an 8pm Monday-night kick-off , with their final game of the season coming away to Crystal Palace on Sunday 24 May.
The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust urged the club and the Premier League to “do more so that scheduling better reflects the needs of match-going supporters”.
“The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust is disappointed by the 8pm Monday kick-off for Arsenal vs Burnley. This timing creates clear difficulties for both sets of supporters, particularly those travelling or relying on public transport, and increases costs and disruption,” the fan group said in a statement posted on X.
“As the final home game of the season, it also means the traditional lap of appreciation will not take place until around 10pm, making it less accessible for many fans.
“We did engage with Arsenal ahead of the most recent broadcast deal, recognising that clubs, including Arsenal, play a role in approving these agreements and asking that it give greater weight to the impact on supporters of games being moved.
“While we understand the significant financial benefits involved and how they support the club’s growth, we would urge both Arsenal and the Premier League to do more so that scheduling better reflects the needs of match-going supporters,” added the statement.
The decision is the latest to cause controversy among fan groups and clubs, with Manchester City previously having attempted to move around two fixtures with Bournemouth and Crystal Palace ahead of a packed final few days of the season.
City’s preference was to swap the order of their postponed fixtures and play Bournemouth in the midweek before the FA Cup final on 16 May and then face Crystal Palace after that match, but the Premier League rejected the idea.
Now, Pep Guardiola’s side will face four games in their final 12 days of the season as they bid to win a domestic treble. Title rivals Arsenal will also have four games in their own 12-day period, as they face Atletico Madrid in a two-legged Champions League semi-final tie while also taking on Fulham and West Ham in the league between 29 April and 10 May.
