Mikel Arteta has warned that football’s governing bodies must prioritise player welfare, as Arsenal face a congested fixture list that could endanger his squad’s fitness.
Arsenal are due to play Crystal Palace in the League Cup quarter-finals on 16 December. However, that date would see Palace play three matches within just five days, prompting hopes that the tie at the Emirates Stadium could be moved to the following week.
Despite this, it is understood that Arsenal prefer to keep the fixture on 16 December to avoid worsening their already packed festive calendar.
The Premier League leaders are currently in the midst of seven matches in 22 days, travelling to Burnley on Saturday before heading to Slavia Prague for a Champions League clash on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Arteta said:
“Every decision we make about fixtures must be guided by two key principles — players’ welfare and the supporters. Everything else should come far behind that. We should never lose sight of those priorities.
“If we make decisions with those two principles clearly in front of us, the whole industry will benefit. But if we ignore them, then anything becomes possible — and not in a good way.”
His comments follow concerns raised last season by Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who warned that players could strike due to the relentless fixture schedule.
Asked whether such discussions might resurface, Arteta replied:
“If we look after players’ welfare and our supporters, we will never reach that stage. We must close that window entirely — it’s our most important value.”
Arsenal reached the League Cup quarter-finals with a 2–0 win over Brighton on Wednesday, marking their eighth consecutive victory in all competitions.
They head into the Burnley fixture with a four-point lead at the top of the Premier League and a defence that has remained unbreached for six matches.
The Gunners are chasing their first Premier League title since 2004 after finishing runners-up for the past three seasons.
Asked whether his side now feel unstoppable, Arteta said:
“No, because there’s always that sense of urgency. We know every opponent brings new challenges, and we have very little time to train or prepare between matches.
“It’s a huge opportunity ahead of us, but maintaining this level of consistency is incredibly demanding. We must continue hitting those performance levels.”