Aston Villa objected to Tottenham's request to move their Premier League fixture at Villa Park
Aston Villa were quick to write to the Premier League after Tottenham Hotspur opened discussions about rescheduling next month’s fixture at Villa Park.
Spurs are seeking more time to prepare for a potential Europa League final, which would take place three days after their currently scheduled visit to B6 on Sunday, May 18.
That’s right - Tottenham are far from certain to reach the final, as Bodo/Glimt will have something to say about that.
The Norwegian side, who have beaten the likes of Porto, Beşiktaş, Olympiacos, and Lazio at home this season, hold the advantage of playing the second leg at the Aspmyra Stadion on Thursday, May 8 - a week before Spurs want to face Villa.
From Villa’s perspective, there’s clear reluctance to move their final home fixture of the season from a Sunday to a Thursday night.
The match includes several pre-organised family activation activities that would not be possible if it were held in the evening.
Beyond that, there should be no justification for the Premier League to assist Spurs considering they offered no such help to Villa this season or last.
Villa had to face Lille and Paris Saint-Germain when both French clubs had free weekends, as permitted by the LFP.
No accommodation was made for Villa, who limped over the line to secure Champions League football last season - a goliath effort considering Spurs had no European commitments whatsoever.
This term, Spurs have faced congested fixtures and struggled to cope, as reflected in their poor league record.
Currently sitting 16th with four games remaining, Ange Postecoglou’s side have lost 19 games this season.
Villa, meanwhile, are on course to better last season’s points tally of 68, despite playing in the Champions League and reaching the FA Cup semi-finals.
In April alone, Villa played every three to four days due to their commitments across multiple competitions.
Premier League rules state that a club may apply to the board to rearrange any fixture for a different date or kick-off time.
The rules also state that the board may, at its discretion, change the date or time of a league match, but must first consult the clubs involved and any others potentially affected.
Villa believe that assisting Tottenham now would be a case of double standards, especially after their own pleas for fixture flexibility were ignored.
If the Premier League granted Tottenham their wish, they would be making a rod for their own back next season and beyond with so many of their top clubs competing for European honours.
Moreover, Villa are still locked in a battle not just for Champions League qualification, but for European football more broadly.
If Crystal Palace win the FA Cup, seventh place would yield a Conference League spot rather than a Europa League one. Eighth place would mean no European football at all if the Eagles beat Manchester City at Wembley next month.
Every point counts. Bournemouth are looking to close the gap, and Fulham could move within three points of Unai Emery’s side with a win at Villa Park on Saturday.