Jose Mourinho
Manchester United have claimed that they have the worst fixture list of the Premier League’s big sides over the Christmas period.
In an article published on their official website, entitled “Fixture congestion for Jose’s Reds,” the club say: “Our research shows that Manchester United have a harder time of it than our rivals towards the top of the table.”
United state that they have a total of six non-matchdays over the festive schedule, claiming “no club has fewer,” before noting that Arsenal, Tottenham and West Ham have three more than them.
United added that Chelsea have two more non-matchdays than them and Liverpool and Manchester City have one.
The Red Devils, who will play four games between Dec. 23 and Jan. 1, also note that their “hectic” time-on-the-road mileage for the period will be 288 miles, “considerably more” than their Boxing Day opponents Burnley, who are at the bottom of the table with 160 miles.
The Burnley game at Old Trafford comes three days after their trip to Leicester, with a home match against Southampton following on Dec. 30 before the visit to Everton two days later.
The United website, which highlights Antonio Valencia’s recent hamstring injury being a result of fatigue, also suggests that “an extra fixture has been crow-barred into this year’s festive programme as part of the planning for next year’s World Cup finals.”