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Frank Lampard accused television announcers and the Premier League of putting Chelsea at a disadvantage to their title rivals, saying they turned down a request to give his team an extra day off after facing Arsenal in Boxing. Day.
Furious that his team have to play twice in 48 hours during the festive period, the Chelsea manager questioned why they have to host Aston Villa on Monday night when Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham have three days between their next two games. . Villa, who hosts Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon, also asked that his trip to Stamford Bridge be moved to Tuesday, and Lampard made his anger clear by saying that a lack of common sense can harm players’ well-being and integrity. of the league.
“The fact that it’s two games in 48 hours is an important point because there are other teams that are challenging at the top of the league that play two games in three days,” Lampard said. “It is counterproductive for the quality of the Premier League; it is a risk for gamers if they are to play both games at the top end of elite sport.
“I know what happened to this one because the games are broadcast live. We played Arsenal on Boxing Day and our game against Man City moved to Sunday. The schedule meant, and Aston Villa wanted this too, that we could have played on Tuesday. We were canceled by the Premier League and the broadcasters.
“Sometimes you can blame the broadcasters. Together with each other, and this was rebounded, it was decided that we play twice in 48 hours when other teams that are challenging at the top of the league play twice in three days. I don’t see what a fair playing field looks like. You are wrong. “
Lampard believes that the calendar disruption caused by Covid-19 has placed unprecedented demands on players. “People say quite casually, ‘Just keep going.’ We have had two international breaks where the players have been asked to play three matches. Players play for their international team and then they come back and play on Saturday, an early kickoff or whatever, and then they play again.
“The Christmas calendar is normally hectic time, but hectic time has been all this season. So every little win you can make using common sense, take it to try and help the player’s well-being. This situation compromises the players. It also compromises the competition because others don’t have to do the same.
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“I hear a lot about ‘We’ll have conversations’ and it doesn’t get much done. I have sympathy for the programming, for the tough times. But when they give you two teams asking that the game be played a day later, why don’t you do that? That surprises me. “
Chelsea are likely to be left without their first-choice full-backs Ben Chilwell and Reece James against Arsenal and Villa. Chilwell suffered an ankle injury during last Monday’s win over West Ham and James is struggling with a knee problem.
