Man City handed familiar problem as Arsenal title advantage clear

Pep Guardiola and the Manchester City players have vocally and regularly called out the football fixture list for the unnecessary demands it places on top players.

The Blues pay the price for their success with games across multiple competitions and this season will be in action until mid-July as a result of their qualification for the expanded Club World Cup in the United States next summer.

Guardiola has acknowledged in the past that those complaints fall on deaf ears and his prayers have again gone unanswered this Christmas. City are once again set to be embroiled in a title battle with Arsenal and the Gunners have the favourable fixture list either side of Christmas.

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Arsenal's trio of festive fixtures take place across 12 days with the Gunners afforded four days of complete rest between their final two. City, on the other hand, will play three times in eight days.

Pep Guardiola's side are the first of the title contenders to play in the final round of fixtures before Christmas, travelling to Aston Villa for the lunchtime game on Saturday, December 21. The Blues then have a break of five days before the same lunchtime slot on Boxing Day at home to Everton. City then face a tight turnaround with their next game on Sunday, December 29 at Leicester at 2.30pm, meaning kick-off at the King Power will come just 72 hours after the final whistle against the Toffees.

In contrast, Arsenal's three games are more evenly spread and while the Gunners also have two away games, both are in London. They visit Crystal Palace on Saturday, December 21 for a 5.30pm kick-off