'A joke' - Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal agree on fixture farce that could decide title race

In a thrilling three-way Premier League title race that could be settled by fine margins, Manchester City must this weekend overcome a fixture hurdle that all three championship contenders agree is an unnecessary obstacle.

With City, Liverpool and Arsenal separated by just three points with eight games to go, there is little room for error in the final weeks of the campaign. All three still have European aspirations while City remain in the FA Cup as they chase a repeat of last season's incredible treble.

With the fixtures stacking up, City's trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday will shine a light on the 12.30pm lunchtime kick off that Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta all feel is a huge hindrance when it follows midweek matches.

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It's City's turn to cope with a short turnaround following an 8.15pm kick-off on Wednesday for the win over Aston Villa but Liverpool have an identical scenario to come later in the month while the Gunners could face an early kick-off following a Tuesday night Champions League semi-final. Top flight rules introduced in May prevent any team from playing at 12.30pm on a Saturday after a Champions League match, but that doesn't apply to back-to-back league games - as City face this weekend.

The 12.30pm slot, usually for broadcast on TNT Sports and at prime time for viewing audiences in Asia, has long irked Liverpool boss Klopp while Guardiola himself launched an extended rant at City's schedule last week.

"You want to win at Crystal Palace, you compete in Madrid to get a good result then they come here. But, pfft, three days," he said.

"I know the