Premier League fixture changes confirmed due to FA Cup semi-final schedule
Arsenal now know how Man City's FA Cup semi-final vs Southampton at Wembley Stadium will impact Pep Guardiola's side in the Premier League title race
The Premier League have confirmed how this year's FA Cup semi-finals will impact the title race. Chelsea face Leeds United, while Manchester City will play Southampton after the Championship club knocked out Arsenal in the last round.
All four clubs will not play their scheduled league fixtures on the 25/26 April as they clash with the FA Cup semi-final weekend. City were due to play Burnley on the 26th, but will instead play them on Wednesday, 22 April at 8pm, three days after they host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.
Leeds will also now play away against Bournemouth at the same time, 8pm on 22 April. Chelsea are on the south coast that midweek, too, facing Brighton & Hove Albion a day earlier on Tuesday, 21 April, again at 8pm.
For the Blues, their match comes exactly three days after hosting Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, 26 April. Leeds, meanwhile, will have an additional day between their two matches, after welcoming Wolverhampton Wanderers to Elland Road four days before their trip to the Cherries.
Bournemouth will also have the same gap between their two fixtures, albeit their second match of the week follows a trip to play Newcastle United at St James' Park on the Saturday. Brighton have a slight rest advantage over Chelsea, going to Tottenham Hotspur and their former head coach Roberto De Zerbi at 5:30pm on 22 April, with the Blues hosting Man United at 8pm.
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The Football Association have yet to confirm the FA Cup semi-final dates. However, one will be on 25 April, and the other will be 24 hours later.
City played their semi-final last season on a Sunday, winning 2-0 against Nottingham Forest at Wembley Stadium. However, their one from the previous year took place on a Saturday, when Bernardo Silva scored the winner against Chelsea.
Pep Guardiola's side lost both finals and are now one game away from reaching a third consecutive FA Cup final. If they made it third time lucky, they would also complete a domestic cup double, having beaten Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final.
Since the Catalan coach took charge, City have won the FA Cup just twice, compared to their five successes in the other domestic cup. However, winning an eighth would break a tie with Aston Villa on seven and see them join Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham as the joint-third most successful club in the competition's history, behind Arsenal and Manchester United.
