Mikel Arteta hints ‘anything is possible’ if fixture concerns are not addressed | OneFootball

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has warned “anything is possible” if football’s rulemakers ignore clubs over fixture concerns.

Arsenal are set to face Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on December 16 which would leave Oliver Glasner’s side – who host Manchester City in the league on December 14 and then KuPS in the Conference League, also at home, on December 18 – facing three matches in just five days.

Palace are hopeful of moving their match at the Emirates to the following week, possibly on December 23, but it is understood Arsenal’s preferred option is for the last-eight clash to remain on December 16. Manchester City’ss Rodri said last season that players could strike amid an increase in fixtures.

Speaking ahead of his side’s league clash at Burnley on Saturday – with Arsenal currently in a run of seven matches in just 22 days – Arteta said: “Every decision that we make in terms of a fixture has to be guided on two main things; players’ welfare, and then supporters, and that is it, and the rest has to come very, very far away from that. And we should never forget that principle.

“If we have that big piece of paper with those two principles there in front before we make any decision, all of us in our industry, we won’t get there. If we don’t and we just ignore that, then anything is possible.”

Arteta continued: “If we look after the players’ welfare and our supporters, we are never going to get to that point (strikes).

“We have to close the window there. We cannot open that window. It has to be closed. It’s our most precious value. We have the best league in the world and we cannot just open any window for anything just to lose that because we don’t respect that, and we forget what we are made of and what makes this game and this league so, so special. And if we respect that, I’m sure we’re going to be totally fine.”

Arsenal secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup after they landed their eighth consecutive win with a 2-0 victory over Brighton at the Emirates on Wednesday.

They will travel to Turf Moor on Saturday with a four-point lead at the top of the table and a defence that has not been breached for six matches.

Asked if there is a feeling within his camp that Arsenal are unstoppable at the moment, Arteta replied: “No, because you always have that sense of urgency, and you see the complications and the challenges that the next opponent is going to bring you, and we know that and every three days, we have very little time to train and prepare.

“It’s a big opportunity that we have ahead of us, but we have to continue with that level of consistency, and we know how difficult that is. Tomorrow is going to be an extremely tough match for us, and we’re going to have to again hit those performance levels.”

William Saliba was absent for the midweek match against Brighton but could be available to travel to Burnley. However, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz all remain sidelined.