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ALEX FERGUSON is furious with the Premier League after being handed a stinker of a fixture schedule.
The Manchester United boss was critical of the list last season with away games planned after some key Champions League trips.
But now he has away games after all SIX of the club's Champions League first group matches, while nearest rivals Chelsea and Liverpool have four at home.
Arsene Wenger will be almost as unhappy as Fergie as his Arsenal side have five away dates.
Reds legend Paddy Crerand branded the Premier league a disgrace last night and accused them of denying United help in defending their Champions League crown.
He rapped: “Every other country seems to do everything to help their teams in Europe when it comes to domestic fixtures.
''But not here — and it is a disgrace.
“United are representing this country abroad in the biggest club tournament in the world, yet the fixture list works against them.â€
United's first Champions League game will come between visits to Chelsea and Liverpool. Ferguson will be desperate now for the Euro draw to be kind with a home clash.
Trips to Blackburn, Everton, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham follow their next five group games.
United's profile as league champions could see some of these matches brought forward to 12.45pm kick-offs on the Saturday for television.
So they could be faced with the prospect of travelling back from an away European trip in the early hours of Thursday, only to have to set off for a domestic away trip the following lunchtime.
Crerand, a European Cup winner with United in 1968, still travels with the team in the Champions League as a respected media pundit.
He added: “The draw can have you in some far-flung part of Eastern Europe, not getting home until 4am on Thursday morning. Then you have to prepare for an away trip in the Premier League. It's all wrong.â€
Last season United had to play away games in the Premier League after four midweek away trips in the Champions League.
They came following the group game with AS Roma and the second round, quarter-finals and semi-finals.
After visiting Lyon in February, they were fortunate to go to a struggling Newcastle and beat them 5-1.
But after a tough trip to Roma in the quarters, they went to Middlesbrough and only drew.
Their semi-final trip to the Nou Camp on April 23 was followed by a crunch showdown at Stamford Bridge at 12.45pm the following Saturday. United lost 2-1.
Crerand said: “Alex Ferguson got criticised after that game at Chelsea for not playing his strongest side.
“But he had to juggle the team, because the trip to Stamford Bridge came in between what were two big semi-final games against Barcelona.â€
Crerand believes teams like United have to become totally reliant on their players staying fit if they are to compete on domestic and European fronts with the fixtures the way they are.
He declared: “Two seasons ago it really affected the club.
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“We lost away to Milan because of injuries and then were faced with a derby against Manchester City on the Saturday. It took a lot of juggling to get through that game and eventually win the title.â€
United are already facing fixture congestion due to their success in winning the Champions League.
Their match against Fulham on August 30 will have to be switched, as they will be playing Zenit St Petersburg the day before in Monaco in the European Super Cup.
The meeting with Wigan on December 20 must be postponed as United will be in Tokyo to play in the World Club Championship.
Arsenal finish their league campaign by facing Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Portsmouth during their last six games.
Fan Benjie Guy from Islington said: “It's about as bad a run-in as we could have got. Fixtures involving the top clubs should be spread out over the season.â€
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article1299626.ece
The Manchester United boss was critical of the list last season with away games planned after some key Champions League trips.
But now he has away games after all SIX of the club's Champions League first group matches, while nearest rivals Chelsea and Liverpool have four at home.
Arsene Wenger will be almost as unhappy as Fergie as his Arsenal side have five away dates.
Reds legend Paddy Crerand branded the Premier league a disgrace last night and accused them of denying United help in defending their Champions League crown.
He rapped: “Every other country seems to do everything to help their teams in Europe when it comes to domestic fixtures.
''But not here — and it is a disgrace.
“United are representing this country abroad in the biggest club tournament in the world, yet the fixture list works against them.â€
United's first Champions League game will come between visits to Chelsea and Liverpool. Ferguson will be desperate now for the Euro draw to be kind with a home clash.
Trips to Blackburn, Everton, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham follow their next five group games.
United's profile as league champions could see some of these matches brought forward to 12.45pm kick-offs on the Saturday for television.
So they could be faced with the prospect of travelling back from an away European trip in the early hours of Thursday, only to have to set off for a domestic away trip the following lunchtime.
Crerand, a European Cup winner with United in 1968, still travels with the team in the Champions League as a respected media pundit.
He added: “The draw can have you in some far-flung part of Eastern Europe, not getting home until 4am on Thursday morning. Then you have to prepare for an away trip in the Premier League. It's all wrong.â€
Last season United had to play away games in the Premier League after four midweek away trips in the Champions League.
They came following the group game with AS Roma and the second round, quarter-finals and semi-finals.
After visiting Lyon in February, they were fortunate to go to a struggling Newcastle and beat them 5-1.
But after a tough trip to Roma in the quarters, they went to Middlesbrough and only drew.
Their semi-final trip to the Nou Camp on April 23 was followed by a crunch showdown at Stamford Bridge at 12.45pm the following Saturday. United lost 2-1.
Crerand said: “Alex Ferguson got criticised after that game at Chelsea for not playing his strongest side.
“But he had to juggle the team, because the trip to Stamford Bridge came in between what were two big semi-final games against Barcelona.â€
Crerand believes teams like United have to become totally reliant on their players staying fit if they are to compete on domestic and European fronts with the fixtures the way they are.
He declared: “Two seasons ago it really affected the club.
Advertisement
“We lost away to Milan because of injuries and then were faced with a derby against Manchester City on the Saturday. It took a lot of juggling to get through that game and eventually win the title.â€
United are already facing fixture congestion due to their success in winning the Champions League.
Their match against Fulham on August 30 will have to be switched, as they will be playing Zenit St Petersburg the day before in Monaco in the European Super Cup.
The meeting with Wigan on December 20 must be postponed as United will be in Tokyo to play in the World Club Championship.
Arsenal finish their league campaign by facing Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Portsmouth during their last six games.
Fan Benjie Guy from Islington said: “It's about as bad a run-in as we could have got. Fixtures involving the top clubs should be spread out over the season.â€
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article1299626.ece