Chelsea issue fixture change complaint

Chelsea complained on Friday over a fixture change the club said would give an advantage to Premier League title rivals Manchester United and Arsenal.

Chelsea's match at Everton has been brought forward 48 hours to Thursday, April 17 and will be televised live.

The weekend games involving United and Arsenal, against Blackburn Rovers and Reading respectively, are also due to be shown live on television on April 19.

With Chelsea facing Wigan Athletic on Monday, April 14, a day after United host Arsenal, the Stamford Bridge club will have less time to prepare for their trip to Everton.

"Chelsea Football Club is extremely disappointed with the announcement today regarding the Everton fixture," the club said on their Website (www.chelseafc.com).

"The decision to hold the match on April 17 undermines the sporting integrity of the competition by giving our rivals ... an unnecessary competitive advantage at a critical time of the season, with more recovery time from their previous match and preparation time for their next fixture when we have to play two games during the same period..

"The decision sets a dangerous precedent in changing match days still further when fixture congestion does not exist and when a sensible solution regarding other television matches that weekend was suggested," the club added.

Leaders United are five points ahead of Chelsea with seven games to go. Arsenal are third, a further point adrift.

Chelsea are at home to Middlesbrough on Sunday and have fitness doubts over midfielder Frank Lampard and goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Lampard missed training on Friday with a stomach bug while Cech has been sidelined since the start of the month with an.

ankle problem.