David Moyes hopes Thursday match switch doesn’t become the norm

Apr 17 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

EFC manager David Moyes _320

DAVID MOYES hopes a dangerous precedent has not been set by the Premier League’s decision to reschedule Everton’s home clash with Chelsea.

The pair meet at Goodison this evening for a fixture that was originally slated for a 3pm kick-off on this coming Saturday.

However, it was announced less than a fortnight ago that the game had been controversially brought forward two days to accommodate live television coverage by Sky.

“We just need to be careful this isn’t something that is going to pop its head up at the end of the season when games are getting tight and tense at the exciting time in the season,” said the Goodison manager.

“It could cause problems. The clubs have a responsibility to say there is a point where they have to say ‘no’ and I think the Premier League have to do that as well. The Premier League supported the game being moved.

“It’s not quite as unfair on Everton as it is on Chelsea. They have to play on Monday and Thursday.

“But now Chelsea might say they are quite pleased it has been moved because it gives them more time to prepare for the Champions League game next Tuesday.”

Everton offered to refund supporters who had bought a ticket and could no longer attend the game while Chelsea spent their television fee on fans’ tickets and travel to the game.

“I think it’s unfair on supporters who maybe travel a distance to come and see their team, it’s not as easy on a Thursday as a Saturday,” added Moyes.

“There could be a case for having maybe a 72-hour guaranteed period between games, or something along those lines.

“If it’s down in the calendar saying you are playing Wednesday night then Saturday morning, you don’t like it too much but at least it’s in there and you know about it.

“But in this case, it has been changed at short notice in the way it has, and it would maybe not have been as bad if it was moved to the Sunday or the Monday.”