The Premier League have this afternoon rearranged Fulham’s home game with Chelsea, which was initially set to take place on Sunday March 10, to Wednesday April 17 – or Gameweek 33 to you and I. At present, this gives both clubs a pair of fixtures that week, with Fulham travelling to Villa and Chelsea entertaining Tottenham at the Bridge beforehand.
This news comes with a caveat, though. If Chelsea beat United in their FA Cup Sixth Round replay on Monday April 1, their Gameweek 33 clash with Spurs will be postponed due to Semi-Final commitments and will require a new date – this would leave the Blues with just one fixture in Gameweek 33, while Spurs would face a blank. The Spurs match would need to be moved to a new Gameweek as this was initially scheduled for the weekend. Bottom line is Fulham now have a double Gameweek 33 regardless, though.
As the fixtures fall into place, the Cottagers are currently one of four clubs that will definitely face a pair of matches in Gameweeks 33, with Arsenal, Everton and West Ham also playing twice. The loser of the Chelsea – United replay will also face a double, though if United win at Stamford Bridge their trip to Stoke – scheduled for Gameweek 33 weekend – will be cancelled, leaving the Potters without a fixture that week, as United travel to West Ham in midweek.
In other words:
If Chelsea win the replay, United have a DGW33 and Spurs have a blank GW33.
If United win the replay, Chelsea have a DGW33 and Stoke have a blank GW33.
With both Swansea and West Brom both facing blanks in Gameweek 33, our planning just got that little more intricate as we attempt to deal with the FA Cup fixture fall-out. Thankfully, the situation will be afforded a little more clarity come April Fools Day.
