Blades to take relegation fight to EC

The Premier League today publishes next season’s fixture list despite Sheffield United’s campaign to overturn relegation — with the Blades taking their challenge to the EC.

League chiefs are so confident that next week’s arbitration panel will not rule against the Blades’ relegation that they have decided not to postpone the fixtures until after the hearing.

It is understood that the league believe the chances are virtually nil that the arbitration panel will order a new disciplinary hearing for West Ham over the Carlos Tevez affair.