Manchester City’s bid to reschedule two Premier League fixtures during the title run-in is set to be rejected by the league, handing Arsenal a boost in the Premier League title race

The Premier League are poised to turn down Manchester City’s attempts to rearrange two top-flight fixtures. Pep Guardiola’s side sought to switch their meetings with Bournemouth and Crystal Palace to prevent a sequence of three matches in seven days.

The trio of fixtures arrive at the crucial stage of the season with an FA Cup final against Chelsea squeezed in between on May 16. City requested special dispensation from the top-flight governing body to reschedule their home encounter with Palace and the journey to the Vitality Stadium to face Andoni Iraola’s side.

It has been reported that the preference to play Bournemouth first would enable them to spread the matches across eight days rather than seven, thereby reducing the physical and mental strain of the demanding Premier League calendar.

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According to the Mirror, City are scheduled to play four matches in 12 days, prompting officials to request a change from the league, but it has been suggested that they will maintain their position, forcing a demanding schedule on Arsenal’s title challengers.

Premier League standard protocols stipulate that the Palace home fixture should take priority on May 13, three days before the FA Cup showpiece, while the rearrangement has been further complicated by UEFA owing to Palace’s participation in the Conference League. The European body are understood to be eager to avoid conflicting with Palace’s packed schedule.

Following the collapse of negotiations, City now face a Wednesday-Saturday-Tuesday fixture schedule, meaning they will make the trip to the South Coast just 48 hours after their afternoon at Wembley Stadium.

City, who took part in the Club World Cup last summer, have experienced a surge in injuries of late, with Ruben Dias and Rodri both facing time on the treatment table.

Guardiola had previously voiced his concerns over their participation in the post-season tournament, from which they were eliminated at the quarter-final stage, after it wrapped up just weeks before the resumption of the top-flight season.

Speaking at the end of June, the Catalan said: “I try to relax, enjoy the days here and the good vibes that we have, the competition and we try to win it. The most important thing is to recover and find within ourselves what we were.

“That’s my main target in this tournament. I want them to feel that this is our path again to be competitive like we have been in eight of the last nine years.

“After this, let’s see what happens. Let’s see what happens after the final. We will rest for the time the Premier League allow us. Maybe in November, December or January it will be a disaster, we are exhausted and the World Cup has destroyed us.

“I don’t know, it’s the first time in our lives that this has happened. We will see when we come back.”

City closed the gap on Arsenal with a crucial 2-1 victory over the Gunners last weekend, before climbing to the top of the table on goal difference following a midweek triumph at Burnley.

Their FA Cup semi-final commitment at the weekend, in which they defeated Southampton, afforded Mikel Arteta’s side the opportunity to reclaim top spot as they narrowly overcame Newcastle United.

Nevertheless, Guardiola acknowledged that the Premier League title race was taking a heavy toll on his squad. He said: “Arsenal was so demanding emotionally, it’s normal.

“Three days later [Burnley], three days later [Southampton]. Our people were so, so tired. Then take a train, three hours from here to the hotel. Always the grass is thick [at Wembley]. Many thoughts I still have in my mind.”

The Premier League has received pushback in discussions about the rescheduling of two Manchester City fixtures that could prove pivotal to a number of key positions in the table, and the title race with Arsenal.

City’s pursuit of a domestic Treble has also created a fixture headache. After beating Arsenal to the Carabao Cup, Pep Guardiola’s side have once again progressed to the FA Cup final – setting up a clash with Chelsea on Saturday 16 May.

But it now means that City have not one, but two Premier League fixtures that still need to be rearranged – and with just a few weeks of the season remaining. City’s trip to Bournemouth, which fell on FA Cup final weekend, will need to be moved, while the home match against Palace has been without a date for months.

It is up to the Premier League to decide where to schedule both games, and it is a huge decision given how close the title is as City and Arsenal enter the final straight. City could be left with a fixture pile-up that includes four games in 12 days.

Man City’s remaining fixtures

Manchester City have six games left this season, five in the Premier League, plus the FA Cup final. Pep Guardiola’s side currently have a game in hand on leaders Arsenal, due to their progress to both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals this season. After City reached the FA Cup semi-finals, where they defeated Southampton on Saturday, their trip to Burnley was rearranged for Wednesday 22 April.

The precedent in the Premier League, however, has generally been for postponed games to be played in the order they were originally scheduled, where possible. That would in this case mean the Palace game happens on Wednesday 13 May and the Bournemouth game on Tuesday 19 May. The latter would be set for that date due to the Europa League final taking place on the Wednesday 20 May, and Uefa disallowing domestic fixtures to be staged when their showpieces fixtures take place.

*TBC

Why Crystal Palace match comes first

Crystal Palace’s participation in the Europa Conference League has complicated rearranging their trip to Manchester City, which was originally scheduled to be played on the weekend of the FA Cup quarter-finals. Palace have reached the semi-finals in Europe and Oliver Glasner’s side will play Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday 30 April and Thursday 7 May. If the Eagles progress, the final would be after the Premier League season finishes, on Wednesday 27 May, but it means City’s match against them has to be played either immediately after the Brentford match or immediately after the FA Cup final.

The Premier League want the Crystal Palace match to be played before the Bournemouth game, as that was the order of their original calendar. But because the Eagles play their Premier League games following European commitments on a Sunday, that also rules out the prospect of playing on a Tuesday. Therefore, of the two free midweeks, Wednesday 13 May is the leading option, with the Bournemouth match rearranged for the following week, but not on the Wednesday due to the Europa League final. That will involve an English club in either Aston Villa or Nottingham Forest.

City had initially wanted the Crystal Palace match to be rescheduled for Wednesday 22 April, rather than the match against Burnley. It appears this was impossible because Crystal Palace were already scheduled to play West Ham on Monday 20 April, so could not play again that midweek.

‘Tension’ in discussions as Man City face fixture pile-up

The situation could nevertheless leave City playing three games in seven days before the potentially crucial final weekend of the season, with the testing trip to Bournemouth coming a mere three days after the FA Cup final. City have consequently been in dialogue with the Premier League to explore alternative options and swapping the order of the Palace and Bournemouth games, but it is understood that has led to pushback and some tension in discussions. Arsenal are also monitoring developments that could affect the title race.

Any movement could also have repercussions for other positions, as Bournemouth aim for a European place for the first time in their history. If their match against City were to be played on Tuesday 19 May, it would mean nine days’ rest for Andoni Iraola’s side, as they now have a free weekend around the FA Cup final, against a mere three for their opponents. That would also be Iraola’s final home match in charge of Bournemouth, in what is set to be an emotional occasion. Swapping the Bournemouth and Palace games would have allowed City to play on Tuesday 12 May, giving Guardiola’s side an extra day.

Sources with knowledge of the discussions say it has been pointed out that this is just the fairness of how it falls and it is a complication that clubs competing on multiple fronts have to face. City have naturally pointed to the unnecessary pile-up, when alternatives are possible.

This has led to pushback, principally over the idea that individual club situations should not be able to override precedent given how other teams have faced similar in the past. Arsenal sources have pointed to how the 2023-24 title race saw City face a rescheduled away trip at Tottenham Hotspur as their penultimate game, when it could have come earlier, despite an expected media circus around Spurs fans not wanting Arsenal to win the title.

Given their own priorities, Bournemouth currently expect their game against City to be played on Tuesday 19 May, with a likely 7.30pm start. Arsenal are meanwhile set to face Burnley in their own last home game on the night before, a Monday, in a move that is already meeting pushback from fans. The fixtures are anticipated to be announced to over the next 24 hours.

Head coach Eddie Howe is among those leading figures who will give his perspective, as was always planned.

Howe’s future has come under increased scrutiny following a bruising run of nine defeats in 12 games in the league.

He has said this year’s summit will be “slightly harder”, but stressed he is looking forward to a rare opportunity to address chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and minority owner Jamie Reuben in person.

“I’m sure there will be conversations on the team and how we have performed,” he said. “I sort of welcome that to a degree.”

Newcastle‘s owners certainly need no reminding of Howe’s body of work after appointing him in 2021.

Howe took charge of a winless side deep in relegation trouble, but went on to end Newcastle‘s 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy by lifting the Carabao Cup last season. They also qualified for the Champions League in 2023 and 2025.

However, this campaign has been his most testing yet, which is saying something. Only relegated Burnley and Wolves have lost more Premier League games than Newcastle‘s 16.

Howe’s ability to outperform clubs with bigger wage bills has been a trademark for much of this time at Newcastle, but his side find themselves below Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Everton, Fulham, Brentford, Bournemouth and Brighton in the table with four games to go.

There is some mitigation.

Newcastle have played 54 matches in all competitions, which is uncharted territory for the group, who reached the last 16 of the Champions League and a third League Cup semi-final in four years.

This drained side have been knocked back by injuries to influential players like captain Bruno Guimaraes at key moments.

Newcastle are also still feeling the effects of a turbulent transfer window last summer.

David Hopkinson and Ross Wilson have since arrived, but the club operated without a chief executive and sporting director during a pivotal trading period.

Newcastle missed out on a host of top transfer targets, including Joao Pedro, Hugo Ekitike, Benjamin Sesko and James Trafford, and have seen little return from a £100m-plus net recruitment drive that Howe was heavily involved in.

Finally, having decided to hold firm for so long, Newcastle ultimately buckled and sold Alexander Isak on deadline day after the striker pushed to join Liverpool for a British record £125m.

Indian cricket stalwart Virat Kohli delivered an inspirational message at the inauguration ceremony of a cricket academy at DPS (Delhi Public School) RK Puram on Tuesday, urging students to respect their learning environment and pursue their dreams with honesty and commitment. Speaking to students during the event, Kohli said he was not accustomed to addressing school gatherings but connected deeply with the audience, having once been in the same stage of life. Reflecting on his own journey, he highlighted how his priorities shifted early as he chose cricket as his career path.

“Thank you for having me. I’m not used to speaking in schools, so this is going to be a bit awkward for me because I moved away from the school setup long ago for cricket, and that’s what I’m going to talk about. I understand the environment of a school. I’ve been through the same process and stage that all you kids are a part of right now. And I can just share from my own experience how my focus and priority changed very early on in my life,” Kohli said.

The 37-year-old added, “What I want to say is, a school is a place where you come to learn, you come to grow, you become better people.”

#WATCH | Delhi: Cricket star Virat Kohli inaugurated a branch of West Delhi Cricket Academy at DPS RK Puram. His childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma was also with him. pic.twitter.com/gQumDN5om8

— ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2026

The great cricketer further emphasised the role of educators in shaping character and ability, noting that they dedicate a significant part of their lives to guiding students.

“Have respect and regard for that environment first. For your teachers, for the people who are teaching you. They are giving you a part of their lives. It’s very important to give them that respect and the focus and attention that’s required,” Kohli added.

Sharing insights from his own life decisions, Kohli spoke about his early commitment to cricket and the importance of clarity in one’s goals.

“I chose sport very early on in my life, but that came from a very honest place. I was very sure that I wanted to go ahead and pursue cricket, and I had to be honest with myself, my family, and also my teachers to convey to them that this is the path I want to take,” the former Indian captain said. said.

He advised students to be self-aware and fully committed to their ambitions. “Be honest with your dreams, about what you want to do and follow that dream with absolute commitment. Only you will know whether you are being 100% honest or not.”

Recalling his long association with the academy, Kohli said it remained a significant part of his life and childhood.

“I started practising when I was eight years old, and I still continue to come to the academy whenever I get time. And it’s a big part of my childhood, and I hope all the kids that come to learn cricket here can value it, can learn something from the academy. And I hope it does wonders for the school, the cricket setup here as well. So, I wish everyone all the very best,” the 37-year-old concluded.

Meanwhile, Kohli became the first player to complete 9000 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Monday. The right-handed batter achieved this milestone during his RCB’s away match against DC at his home stadium of Arun Jaitley Stadium, from where his journey as a cricketer started.

RCB opted to field first, and excellent spells from Josh Hazlewood (4/12) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/5) reduced DC to 75 in 16.3 overs, with Abishek Porel (30) and David Miller (19) offering some resistance. RCB batters came out all guns blazing as Jacob Bethell (20 in 10 balls, with a four and two sixes), Devdutt Padikkal (34* in 13 balls, with three fours and three sixes), and Virat Kohli (25* in 13 balls, with a four and two sixes) sealed the chase in 6.3 overs.

With this win, RCB have registered their sixth win in eight matches, with 12 points to their name. RCB are at number two in the points tally. This fifth defeat for DC, who have won three, keeps them at seventh spot in the points table.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Alex Pereira might not have it easy in his quest to become a three-division UFC champion, according to Francis Ngannou.

The former UFC heavyweight champion makes his return to MMA on the Netflix card as he faces Philipe Lins.

However, he also has his eyes on other fights that the UFC is prepping. One of those is the highly anticipated clash between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane at the Freedom 250 card.

The Brazilian is a former light heavyweight and middleweight champion, and is keen on winning the heavyweight title.

However, Gane is a difficult opponent, at least that is what Ngannou thinks. Gane is a former interim champion, but lost two of the three undisputed title fights that he had.

His last fight was against Tom Apsinall for the heavyweight title. The clash ended in a no-contest after the champion was unable to continue after several eye pokes from Gane.

Ngannou was speaking to Helen Yee and was asked about this fight. ‘The Predator’ didn’t think this matchup was good for the Brazilian:

“I don’t know, I have no idea. I think Ciryl has more tools here, and Alex Pereira has his own style, Ciryl Gane has his own style. For me, and I might be wrong, but this is not a good matchup for Alex Pereira, in terms of style.”

Ngannou further explained why Pereira should be wary of Gane:

“Basically, he is moving up a division and having to face a heavyweight that is lighter than a light heavyweight. Lighter on his feet.”

Ngannou was also asked who he preferred in the matchup, and his prediction was that Gane would win the clash.

Check out Francis Ngannou speaking about Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane from 6:42:

Alex Pereira’s former rival believes Ciryl Gane has great chance to beat Brazilian

It’s not just Francis Ngannou who believes Ciryl Gane can defeat Alex Pereira. Artem Vakhitov, the last man to defeat the Brazilian in kickboxing, has been brought in by Gane for training ahead of the Freedom 250 card.

In a recent interview with Standemup, Vakhitov claimed that Gane has a great chance to defeat Pereira based on the training sessions with the Frenchman:

“Now I think there’s a 70% chance Ciryl Gane beats Alex Pereira. I would say it’s 70/30; of course, Ciryl has the edge. Most importantly, he has everything: speed, endurance, mindset, classic kickboxing, and a sense of distance. It only remains a mental game now, to come out angry and aggressive in this fight, then everything will work out for him, I think.”