ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has refused to blame the Premier League for scheduling tomorrow’s kick-off against Southampton at midday, as long as the teams around the Gunners have the same short recovery period.

Arsenal’s final Europa League group stage game on Thursday night played out more like a glorified training session at Ashburton Grove, beating BATE Borisov 6-0 in front of under 30,000 fans. 

But instead of playing late Sunday afternoon, Wenger’s men have been handed the early game slot due to the Liverpool and Manchester derbies being played on the same day.