Mikel Arteta responds to fuming Arsenal fans after late Premier League fixture change

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An Arsenal supporters group has hit out at the decision to reschedule the club's final home game of the season for a Monday night, with Mikel Arteta admitting it is "not ideal". The Gunners will host relegated Burnley at the Emirates Stadium on May 18 for an 8pm kick-off.

The Premier League confirmed the schedule for the final set of matches on Tuesday afternoon, with Manchester City also unhappy , having been left with a congested period during their title run-in. Arsenal and City are braced for a close finish at the top of the table and therefore emotions are running high over scheduling.

And while City are annoyed at the prospect of three games in the space of seven days, Arsenal's unhappiness is for a different reason. The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust said they were "disappointed by the 8:00pm Monday kick-off" in a statement which read: "This timing creates clear difficulties for both sets of supporters, particularly those travelling or relying on public transport, and increases costs and disruption.

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"As the final home game of the season, it also means the traditional lap of appreciation will not take place until around 10:00pm, making it less accessible for many fans. We did engage with Arsenal ahead of the most recent broadcast deal, recognising that clubs, including Arsenal, play a role in approving these agreements and asking that it give greater weight to the impact on supporters of games being moved.

"While we understand the significant financial benefits involved and how they support the club’s growth, we would urge both Arsenal and the Premier League to do more so that scheduling better reflects the needs of match-going supporters."

Asked about AST's statement in a press conference ahead of Wednesday night's game against Atletico Madrid, Arteta said: "I'm not surprised. It's the last home game of the season. You want to play at the weekend. The time and date was set and now it's been changed. It's not ideal, especially for our supporters, but TV has the right to do this.

"They've done it. Unfortunately we're going to have have to adapt to that as well and play our game. Try to have everybody in that stadium in the same manner with the same energy because obviously we know what is at stake."

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Every team in the Premier League is scheduled to play at least one game on a Friday and Monday night during the season, in order to try and make it fair. Arsenal still had a Monday night match left to play and the Premier League has stressed the need to ensure the integrity of the league.

Monday night matches have been a bone of contention for Manchester United this season, with Michael Carrick's side playing five times in that slot, which is always shown live on Sky Sports .

Arsenal face Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night before hosting Fulham in the Premier League. Arteta's side then have the second leg against Atleti and league games against West Ham , Burnley and Crystal Palace , as well as a potential Champions League final against Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain.