Antonio Conte has told Mikel Arteta that he should think twice when complaining about Arsenal 's fixture schedule - after asking for the North London Derby to be postponed earlier this year.
Arteta made headlines this week by labelling the Gunners' turnaround of playing on Wednesday evening at home to Liverpool before visiting Aston Villa at lunchtime on Saturday, as "not fair" on his team. They have been handed another Wednesday-Saturday turnaround in their final 11 games of the season by the Premier League.
However, January's derby match against Tottenham has still not been rescheduled, having been called off despite the Gunners only having one confirmed case of Covid-19 in their squad. That left Spurs frustrated, something which has clearly not subsided in the two months since.
Speaking on Friday, Conte said: "I only want to remember [remind] Arteta the game that we postponed - Tottenham v Arsenal, okay? Yes, if we speak about fair or unfair, okay, and, I stop. In general I think my answer is enough.
"Okay? It is enough. If someone want to speak about fair or unfair. We postponed a game Tottenham v Arsenal, if you remember. I don't forget this and I think it is not right to speak about fair or unfair." The Italian's response puts added pressure on the Premier League for when their two teams' matchup is eventually rearranged in April or May.
Asked in his own press conference on Friday - ahead of his side's trip to Villa - if he was concerned about when the game will be pencilled in, Arteta admitted: "Yes. Because I don't know and we're not going to be deciding and it is going to be very important."
Pressed on whether or not he would raise the issue with top-flight chiefs, the Spaniard replied: "That is nothing to do with me. The club has to arrange that."
Join the debate! Was Arteta right to complain? Give us your verdict here.
The topic of fixture congestion has once again come under the spotlight ahead of the run-in, with the March international break coming at a crucial point in the club season. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has reiterated his desire for more than three substitutes to be allowed in Premier League matches in order to avoid players being overloaded, with many foreign divisions and European competitions sticking with the five permitted in pandemic-era football.
"I didn't open it now, but I can't stop thinking about it. The five subs are essential," reaffirmed Klopp ahead of the Reds' FA Cup quarter-final tie against Nottingham Forest. "I think Scotland plans six friendly games in the summer, not all for the purpose of if we go to the World Cup we are better prepared. It is for money reasons.
" England have four games. In the summer - where for the first time in ages there is no tournament - what do we do? Put in new games. Just accepting top-class players get injured more than other people, that makes no sense. When I heard that with six and four games in the summer break and after that a normal season follows, plus a World Cup in the middle, how do you think these boys get through it. You have to have each second to recover, it is really tough."
