Pep Guardiola casts doubt over Premier League clash with Arsenal next month amid reports of possible rearrangement

Manchester City's Premier League clash with Arsenal is reportedly at risk of being rearranged.

The Premier League Champions were meant to face the current league leaders at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday 19th October, one of nine matches Manchester City are scheduled to play in all competitions next month.

In a challenging period for Pep Guardiola's side, the Blues are due to come up against Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal in the Premier League during October.

However, the scheduled midweek trip to the Emirates could be rearranged, amid recent fixture postponements and congestion.

Speaking about the fixture list in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Pep Guardiola unpromptedly said: "I don't know if the Arsenal game will be played now."

Pep Guardiola: "I don't know if the Arsenal game [in the #PL, October 19] will be played now..." [via @BBCSport]

— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) September 13, 2022

The Gunners announced on Monday that they had to postpone Thursday's Europa League Group Stage match with PSV due to events in capital following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

A statement on Arsenal's website read: "Our UEFA Europa League home fixture against PSV Eindhoven, scheduled for Thursday 15 September, has been postponed.  

"The postponement follows liaison between UEFA, the Metropolitan Police and ourselves, after the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II."

Our @EuropaLeague fixture with PSV has been postponed.

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 12, 2022

Three Premier League matches have also been postponed this weekend, predominantly due to the redeployment of Police ahead of the State Funeral on Monday, and the Lying-in-state of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth from Wednesday 14th September in Westminster Hall.

All football matches in England were postponed last weekend, as a mark of respect following the passing of the Queen.

Manchester City are now at risk of seeing a second Premier League game rescheduled, with journalists Simon Stone and John Cross confirming Pep Guardiola's earlier comments.

Simon Stone reports how the 19th October is the only 'spare week' available for Arsenal to fulfil their Europa League fixture, with the North London side reluctant to forfeit the fixture.

John Cross claims that the Premier League are 'open' to trying to switch the fixture against City, with Arsenal wanting to rearrange the midweek meeting against the Champions.

No official announcement has been made regarding the possible postponement of the fixture.

Manchester City are scheduled to travel to Anfield on the Sunday, before facing Arsenal on the Wednesday night.

Speaking about the fixture pile-up ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund, Pep Guardiola said: "The Premier League has the ability to find the fixtures.

"The Tottenham game will be in February or March. We will find a way... we will play these postponed games, not a problem."