D Friday, December 18, 2009 METROSPORT 23 Stoke manager tony Pulis bel- ieves Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger is wrong to moan like a drain about weakened sides and fixture congestion. the Gunners boss was furious Wolves manager Mick McCarthy fielded a second-string team in their 3-0 defeat at Manchester United on tuesday. And on Wednesday, after a 1-1 draw at Burnley, Wenger hit out at the Premier League schedule which meant his side would play three matches in a week whereas tomor- rows opponents Hull had no mid- week game. But Pulis believes the Frenchman should just get on with it. Wenger is moaning like a drain because it doesnt suit Arsenal. He aint moaning because it doesnt suit Stoke, said Pulis. He is saying it because it doesnt suit him and that was what Mick has done. I dont think it was the walk in the park for United that people are suggesting. Stoke had their match against Fulham postponed as the Cottagers were in europa League action but Pulis insisted he would have pre- ferred to play. Pulis: Moaning Wenger should just pipe down Now his men face successive away trips to Aston Villa tomorrow and Manchester City on St Stephens Day. We would have preferred to have got that game in it was a home game because it would have been advanta- geous, he added. No disrespect to Wenger or any foreign manager but I dont think theres anything wrong with asking professional athletes to perform twice in three or four days. Wenger saw Cesc Fabregas limp off with a hamstring injury at Burnley, but he should only miss one game. Cesc had a scan today, said Wenger. We have not had the result yet. the only thing that is sure is that he will not play on Saturday. Beyond that, it all depends on the scan. Is it a tightness that just presents a small risk or is it a slight strain grade one or two? Well know that later. If it is a tear it is a small one and the maximum would be ten days. So it is not long-term. Feeling cross: Wenger believes Arsenal have been hard done by this week with three league games Picture: Getty League say schedule is fair game The Premier League have defended the organisation of their fixtures following harsh criticism from Arsene Wenger over his Arsenal side playing three times this week. Wenger is furious the Gunners had to play Liverpool last Sunday, Burnley on Wednesday and hull tomorrow while Phil Browns men have had the week off. The Frenchman said: The guy who organised the fixtures this season must have come out of a special school, because he is more intelligent than I am. But a Premier League spokesperson responded: This season has been a particularly difficult one to schedule given an increased amount of Champions League and europa League dates and a truncated season because of the World Cup. Missing for Hull: Fabregas By pAul MurpHy Wenger aint moaning like a drain because it doesnt suit Stoke SOCCER preMier leAgue wEEkEnd FIXTURES todAy SoCCer Coca-Cola Football league two Grimsby v Morecambe.............. 7.45 Hereford v Lincoln City.............. 7.45 dArtS (until Jan 4th) ladbrokes.com World darts Championship (London) HorSe rACiNg Ascot, Southwell, Uttoxeter, Wolverhampton, Downpatrick rugBy uNioN Heineken Cup pool 2: Newport- Gwent Dgons v Biarritz (8.00). pool 5: Sale v Harlequins (7.45). Amlin Challenge Cup pool 2: Connacht v Worcester (6.00). SAturdAy SoCCer (3.00 unless stated) Barclays premier league Arsenal v Hull............................. 5.30 Aston Villa v Stoke............................ Blackburn v Tottenham .................... Fulham v Man Utd............................ Man City v Sunderland..................... Portsmouth v Liverpool ........... 12.45 Coca-Cola Championship Blackpool v West Brom.................... Bristol City v Reading....................... Cardiff v Leicester ............................ Crystal Palace v Barnsley................. Derby v Doncaster............................ Nottm Forest v Preston ............. 5.20 Peterborough v Watford ................... Plymouth v Coventry........................ QPR v Sheff Utd............................... Scunthorpe v Ipswich....................... Sheff Wed v Swansea....................... Coca-Cola league one Charlton v Millwall ............................ Colchester v Carlisle......................... Exeter v Southend............................ Gillingham v Stockport..................... Hartlepool v Yeovil............................ Leeds v Southampton...................... Milton Keynes Dons v Brentford....... Norwich v Huddersfield.................... Swindon v Brighton.......................... Tranmere v Bristol Rovers ................ Walsall v Leyton Orient..................... Wycombe v Oldham......................... Coca-Cola league two Accrington Stanley v Barnet............. Aldershot v Bradford ........................ Bury v Macclesfield .......................... Cheltenham v Burton Albion ............ Crewe v Torquay............................... Darlington v Northampton................ Port Vale v Chesterfield.................... Rochdale v Shrewsbury ................... Rotherham v Dag & Red................... Clydesdale Bank premier league Aberdeen v Hibernian....................... Hamilton v Dundee Utd.................... Kilmarnock v Falkirk ......................... Rangers v Motherwell....................... St Johnstone v St Mirren.................. HorSe rACiNg Ascot, Haydock Park, Lingfield, Newcastle, Navan rugBy uNioN Heineken Cup pool 1: Treviso v Northampton (1.30). pool 3: Leicester v Clermont Auvergne (6.00), Ospreys v Viadana (2.30). pool 4: Edinburgh v Bath (1.35), Stade Francais v Ulster (3.45). pool 5: Toulouse v Cardiff Blues (1.35). pool 6: Leinster v Scarlets (3.45), London Irish v Brive (3.00). SuNdAy SoCCer Barclays premier league Everton v Birmingham............... 3.00 West Ham v Chelsea ................. 4.00 Wolverhampton v Burnley ......... 1.30 Coca-Cola Championship Newcastle v Middlesbrough...... 1.00 Clydesdale Bank premier league Hearts v Celtic......................... 12.30 HorSe rACiNg Carlisle, Kempton, Thurles. rugBy uNioN Heineken Cup pool 1: Perpignan v Munster (3.00). pool 2: Gloucester v Glasgow (12.45). index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html