Chelsea say they are unhappy at being made to play two Premier League games within the space of 72 hours after their game at Everton was rescheduled to be shown on live TV.

The club argues the change from Saturday 19th to Thursday 17th April “undermines the sporting integrity of the competition”, as they also host Wigan on 14th April. And they say it gives their title rivals an unnecessary competitive advantage with more time both to recover and prepare.

Everton have described the fixture change as an “uncomfortable precedent.”

The Merseysiders, who like Chelsea also wanted the match played at the weekend, say in a statement that they fully support their broadcast partners, but hope common sense prevails in the future and sensible alternatives can be reached.

It’s a crucial game for both side – Chelsea are second in the table, 5 points behind leaders Manchester United while Everton are chasing Liverpool for fourth place and a place in next season’s Champions League.

And with the Londoners still involved in this season’s Champions League, they are concerned their European bid could also be derailed.

Chelsea’s statement concluded:

The decision sets a dangerous precedent in changing match days still further when fixture congestion does not exist, and when a sensible solution regarding other television matches that weekend was suggested.

The Premier League have defended the switch, saying:

The compilation of the fixture list is a complex procedure.

It faces enormous pressure from international match and European competition dates, as well as the need to balance the important requirements of the police and our broadcasters.

We are also required by the European Commission to televise 138 matches per season, which brings its own inevitable pressures.