Premier League reschedule Tottenham fixture at Aston Villa to Sunday
Tottenham’s crucial Premier League trip to Aston Villa has been rescheduled for Sunday, May 3 following the hosts’ progression to the Europa League semi-finals.
The fixture was originally slated for a Saturday lunchtime kick-off but shifted after Unai Emery’s side comfortably dismantled Bologna 7-1 on aggregate.
This alteration means Spurs will now take the pitch after relegation rivals West Ham United travel to Brentford.
Spurs fight for survival
The North London club find themselves entrenched in a desperate battle for top-flight survival, currently sitting two points from safety with just six games remaining.
Newly appointed manager Roberto De Zerbi suffered a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland in his opening match in charge and is still searching for an immediate reaction.
His struggling squad host Brighton this weekend in pursuit of their first league victory this calendar year, before facing bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Villa chase Champions League
While their opponents scrap for survival, the Midlands outfit are well-positioned to secure Champions League football next season.
Despite securing only one win in their previous six domestic outings, they maintain a healthy three-point advantage over fifth-placed Liverpool.
They are also heavily favoured to reach the Europa League final, though an all-English semi-final tie against Nottingham Forest awaits them first.
Fan backlash over scheduling
The late decision to alter the kick-off time has provoked significant anger from travelling supporters regarding late-night travel logistics.
The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust sharply criticised both the governing body and broadcaster TNT Sports for a perceived lack of consideration.
“Once again the Premier League and TNT Sports have shown contempt for supporters.”
“By scheduling this match at 12.30pm on Saturday, with the move to Sunday at 7pm, supporters face tremendous difficulty planning travel to and from the match.”
“We call on all football leagues and TV companies to have far more consideration for match going fans than they have proved themselves capable of so far.”
