Storm Ciara has turned Manchester City’s nightmarish schedule into a full-blown terror.
City was unable to host West Ham United on Sunday due to weather concerns, and it’s challenging to see where a rescheduled date could sit.
[ MORE: Premier League schedule ]
Assuming City stays alive in Europe and the FA Cup, the Premier League giants’ only open dates between now and the season’s final day come during Champions League off-weeks.
As BBC reporter Simon Stone points out, that’s a problem unless the winter break is cut short.
Re today’s postponement. Excluding Champions League weeks (UEFA prefer no clashes) there are two free midweeks to end of season and @ManCity already have two games to rearrange. Reaching FA Cup 6th round and semis would result in further postponements.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) February 9, 2020
The only good fortune here is that West Ham United’s only matches come in Premier League play.
Here is City’s fixture list the rest of the way.
Feb. 22 - at Leicester (PL)
Feb. 26 - at Real Madrid (UCL)
March 1 - v. Aston Villa (League Cup)
March 4 - at Sheffield Wednesday (FA Cup)
March 8 - at Manchester United (PL)
March 14 - v. Burnley (PL)
March 17 - v. Real Madrid (UCL)
March 21 - at Chelsea (PL) / FA Cup quarterfinal
April 4- v. Liverpool (PL)
April 7/8 - UCL quarterfinal first legs
April 11 - at Southampton (PL)
April 14/15 - UCL quarterfinal second legs
April 18 - v. Newcastle (PL) / FA Cup semifinal
April 25 - at Brighton (PL)
April 28/29 - UCL semifinal first legs
May 2 - v. Bournemouth (PL)
May 5/6 - UCL semifinal second legs
May 9 - at Watford (PL)
May 17 - v. Norwich City (PL)
It seems UEFA will have to be okay with City facing West Ham between March 8-14, because of the FA Cup. If City wins at Sheffield Wednesday on March 4, as expected, then the Premier League will need to move the March 21 match with Chelsea.
The only guaranteed opening right now is between Matchweek 37 and 38, as there’s no guaranteeing either side will be out of the UCL and FA Cup.
Short of making City field a league side on the day before or after an FA Cup side, like Liverpool did with kids due to FIFA Club World Cup congestion, it seems the only option. But that could also put Chelsea in a bind if it beats Liverpool.
Ugly stuff!