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BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team explains why Premier League teams have not played every opponent yet despite being at the midway point in the season.
Eagled-eyed fans of Premier League clubs have noticed that their team is sometimes playing a club for a second time in the first half of the season, despite not yet having faced every other opponent. For example, Aston Villa played Arsenal twice but hasn't met Nottingham Forest. This unusual scheduling has baffled Villa manager Unai Emery, who stated it's unprecedented in his 20-year coaching career. Damian Vidagany, Aston Villa's director of football, described it as 'a mystery' and raised concerns about potential bias, suggesting it could make fixtures more convenient for certain clubs during the busy Christmas period, impacting player recovery due to differing travel requirements. He warned against fixtures becoming a 'political territory'.
The Premier League fixture list is compiled after all competition and international playing dates are confirmed. Various parties, including fan representatives, clubs, stakeholders, and authorities, are consulted for specific date preferences or restrictions. For instance, Manchester United might request not to play home games when a Test cricket match is scheduled at Old Trafford. The league also aims to minimize travel distances for away teams on key dates like Boxing Day and New Year's Day, ensuring that a team not at home on Boxing Day will not be away for the New Year's fixture. Quick reversals of fixtures, such as playing the same opponent home and away within a short period, are permissible under Premier League rules, designed to create a balanced sequence of home and away games across the season and accommodate various club requests.
This section directs readers to additional articles from BBC Sport's 'Ask Me Anything' team, providing further insights and information on current Premier League topics. These include guides on how to follow the Premier League's weekly action on the BBC, updates on which players are one card away from suspension, and details regarding the opening and closing dates of the January transfer window.