- Festive schedule announced by Premier League
- Chelsea to play Wolves on December 24
- First game on Christmas Eve since 1995
WHAT HAPPENED? The Blues will make a trip to the Molineux for a 1pm kick-off on Christmas Eve, in the first Premier League game to be played on that date since Manchester United travelled to Elland Road to play Leeds in 1995.
Despite the congested schedule, the Premier League insisted that they have taken into consideration player welfare and have ensured that there is a minimum gap of 60 hours between two games.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: However, the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust have hit out at the decision and have suggested changing the date highlighting the plight of supporters due to the change in holiday transport timetables.
WHAT THEY SAID?: The statement read: "It is totally unacceptable that Wolves v Chelsea as been scheduled for Christmas Eve. Since rumours began to circulate on this issue, the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust has been clear that selecting this kick-off time will place another hurdle in the way of many matchgoing supporters.
"Not only could this lead to staffing issues at Molineux but holiday transport timetables will further inconvenience supporters. On Tuesday 24 October, we requested an urgent meeting with the relevant decision-makers within the Premier League. We expect that this meeting will be held very soon, alongside the Wolves 1877 Trust, and the Football Supporters’ Association. The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust will formally quest that the Premier League properly consults supporters on this issue and that they reverse this decision."
IN THREE PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT? It remains to be seen if the Premier League considers the request from the Chelsea fan group and reconsiders their decision. In the short term, Mauricio Pochettino's men return to action on Saturday against Brentford in a league encounter.
