I swear the Premier League scheduling office just makes this stuff up as they go along. Another week, another fixture moved around like pieces on a chess board.

The Villa-Spurs match that was supposed to happen next Sunday? Yeah, that's not happening anymore. The Premier League has officially shifted the date forward after Tottenham threw what I can only imagine was an absolute fit behind closed doors.

Why Spurs Got Their Way (And Villa Are Probably Fuming)

So here's teh deal. Tottenham are potentially heading to the Europa League final, and they weren't thrilled about having just TWO DAYS to prepare if they beat Bodo/Glimt. I mean, fair enough when you think about it.

Spurs formally asked the Premier League to move the game to Thursday, May 15th.

Villa, predictably, were having absolutely none of it. Can you blame them? Imagine someone calling you up and saying "Hey, we need to completely rearrange your schedule because we MIGHT have something important happening."

The Compromise Nobody Asked For

In typical Premier League fashion, they've split the baby and moved the game to Friday, May 16th instead. Not Thursday like Spurs wanted, but not Sunday either.

Neither club has actually confirmed this yet, which makes me think Villa's executives are still throwing things around their offices in frustration.

God. The politics behind these decisions must be exhausting.

What's Actually at Stake Here?

Postecoglou's squad is sitting pretty with a 3-1 aggregate lead over Bodo/Glimt after the first leg. They're heading to Norway tomorrow night to (hopefully) finish the job without any embarrassing slip-ups.

I watched that first leg with my brother-in-law (massive Spurs fan) who kept saying "don't jinx it" every time I mentioned the final. Football superstition never dies.

This rescheduling means they'll now have FIVE full days to prepare for a potential final instead of just two. That's significant. Like, actually significant.

The All-English Final Nobody Predicted Back in August

Remember when everyone was writing off Man United back in September? Well, look at them now.

United are cruising with a 3-0 lead over Athletic Bilbao in their semi-final tie. An all-English final in Bilbao seems increasingly likely, which would be United's first European final since... 2021? I think? Don't quote me on that.

If both English teams make it through, they'll now have identical preparation time for the final. At least that levels the playing field.

I texted my editor about this story and his response: "Another day, another Premier League scheduling disaster." He's not wrong.

The Waiting Game

This is still developing... no official statements from any of the parties involved yet. I'll update this when someone finally decides to acknowledge what's happening.

Until then, both sets of fans are left wondering exactly when they need to book their trains, hotels, and take time off work. Just another day in the wonderful world of football scheduling.