Managers slam fixture schedule

MANCHESTER CITY boss Roberto Mancini says it is little wonder England struggle in major tournaments when players get little respite between domestic fixtures.

The Italian has expressed anger at his side’s schedule ahead of tonight’s Carling Cup quarter-final at Arsenal, a match that will kick off around 50 hours after a draining Premier League clash at Liverpool ended.

Mancini feels he has no choice but to play an entirely different side tonight.

Mancini said: “We will change all the team because this is an incredible situation.

“For this reason the national team arrives at European Championships and World Cups and they are dying — they do not have time to recover.

“To play in two days, two games like this, after a Champions League game, is incredible. I think the players should say something about this.

“For the players it is important to play, but it is important also to recover, a minimum three days between one game and another.”

Mancini’s comments echo similar sentiments expressed by Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, who must also prepare a side to play at Chelsea in the Carling Cup tonight.

“Forty-eight hours is a bit irresponsible for the people who’ve organised the dates of the matches. It’s not just us, it’s Man City,” Dalglish said.

“To ask any team or any players to play two games of high intensity in 48 hours is a bit of a joke.

“I don’t know why the PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) don’t come in and say something about it — it’s their players. For me it’s difficult to understand why they don’t come out and say something. Or do they agree with it?

“We know we’ve got to accept it although we don’t agree with it, and it won’t affect the application or give us an excuse (for not performing).”

Mancini shares the Scot’s views and has even threatened to send out junior team players if such a situation arises again.

He said: “I agree with him. I think sometimes we should play with 11 young players, 14-15 years.

“It is not correct, this, not only for us but all the players.”

Mancini would have been forced to leave out Gareth Barry and Mario Balotelli for the trip to the Emirates Stadium anyway with both now serving a one-game ban.

Owen Hargreaves, fit again after a minor calf injury and looking to resurrect his career with City, is one prominent player likely to feature and, ahead of tonight’s game, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed he considered making a move for the midfielder in the summer.

“It’s hard to miss years through injury,’’ said Wenger.

“When he played at Bayern Munich we followed him very closely but it was a big transfer.

“I think he was sold to Manchester United for £17 million at the time and he only had one year left on his contract.

“So we didn’t move in for him at that time. In the summer, you consider it but we had players like Emmanuel Frimpong and Francis Coquelin coming back — Alex Song and Abou Diaby in these defensive positions where we were not really in need.’’

Wenger, meanwhile, has challenged his fringe players to show they have the strength of character to come through tonight’s match.

“I will rest some players, but I still want to play a team that has a chance to win the game,” Wenger said.

“Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Emmanuel Frimpong will play, but I consider them to be first-team players.

“Yossi (Benayoun) has been absolutely fantastic, but we have so much choice in midfield and we play with three strikers.

“The chances for the midfielders are not so big and that is why he has not played as much as he deserves.”