THE 2024/25 Premier League season has almost reached its climax with just two rounds of fixtures remaining.
Matchweek 37 has a rare schedule with no games taking place on Saturday.
GettyNo Premier League fixtures will take place this Saturday[/caption]
SunSport brings you the reason why no matches are scheduled for the customary slots on the penultimate matchweek of the season.
Why are there no Premier League games on Saturday?
There will be no top-flight fixtures taking place on Saturday after a drastic change to the footballing calendar was made prior to the 2024/25 season starting.
Last April, the FA and the Premier League reached an agreement that the FA Cup final would be played on an exclusive Saturday.
And the blockbuster Wembley showpiece between Crystal Palace and Manchester City is scheduled for this Saturday, which is why no Prem matches are taking place.
The FA’s statement last year read: “The Emirates FA Cup Final will now take place on the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season, on an exclusive Saturday with no Premier League fixtures taking place on the same day.”
The announcement also stated that no Prem games would be played the day before the final: “Additionally, there will be no Premier League games on the Friday night before the Final, to allow focus on the build-up to the showpiece event.”
However, that is now not happening with two top-flight fixtures booked in for Friday night.
Manchester United’s clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge was moved to the Friday in April to ensure there is no clash with the Women’s FA Cup final between the two clubs.
And due to the Red Devils’ involvement in the Europa League final with Tottenham, Spurs put a request in to the Premier League to move their Sunday fixture with Aston Villa to the Friday to allow both sides to have the same amount of rest time ahead of the all-English blockbuster in Bilbao.
Premier League fixtures for Matchweek 37
All times BST
Friday, May 16
7.30pm Aston Villa v Spurs (Sky Sports)
8:15pm Chelsea v Man Utd (Sky Sports)
Sunday, May 18
12pm Everton v Southampton (TNT Sports)
2:15pm West Ham v Nottingham Forest (Sky Sports)
3pm Brentford v Fulham
3pm Leicester City v Ipswich Town
4:30pm Arsenal v Newcastle United (Sky Sports)
Monday, May 19
8pm Brighton v Liverpool (Sky Sports)
Tuesday, May 20
8pm Crystal Palace v Wolves
8pm Man City v AFC Bournemouth
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