The Premier League has blocked Manchester City’s attempt to reverse the order of their final two league matches against Crystal Palace and AFC Bournemouth, citing concerns over competition integrity.
City had requested to move their away fixture at Bournemouth forward to 12 May, keep the FA Cup Final against Chelsea on 16 May, and shift the home game against Crystal Palace to 19 May.
The original schedule, as it stands, sees City host Crystal Palace on 13 May, face Chelsea in the FA Cup Final three days later, and travel to Bournemouth on 19 May.
In a statement, the Premier League confirmed the rejection, pointing to several factors including the integrity of the fixture list, the fact that the Palace match had already been rearranged once due to the EFL Cup, and Crystal Palace’s ongoing European commitments.
Bournemouth also formally objected to the proposed change, arguing it would have reduced their recovery time between fixtures.
The decision means Manchester City will now face a packed schedule as they chase silverware on multiple fronts, with the FA Cup Final falling just three days after the visit of Palace and three days before the season-ending trip to the Vitality Stadium.
