TOTTENHAM WILL lobby the Premier League over the rescheduling of the Manchester City against Stoke City league fixture amid fears of a potential carve-up of the result to influence European qualification.

The clubs were due to met at Eastlands on FA Cup final weekend but their participation in the showpiece has forced a rethink and the game is now set for Tuesday, May 17th, in the final week of the domestic season.

Yet Tottenham are concerned this could hand City an advantage in the fight for a fourth-place finish. If Stoke were to lose the FA Cup final on May 14th, they could still qualify for the Europa League if City were to finish fourth in the Premier League. That would see City make the Champions League and mean they would not need the FA Cup’s Europa League place, which would go to Stoke.

However, if City were to win the Cup but finish fifth in the league, they would take the Cup’s Europa League place, ahead of Stoke, and England’s third Europa League berth would go to the sixth-placed league finisher.

Tottenham worry that if City won the Cup, it might be in Stoke’s interests to lose at Eastlands, as it could improve their chances of making Europe, and they would like to see the fixture moved to remove any element of suspicion.

The Premier League, though, feel that would cast unfair aspersions on Stoke.

City’s victory over neighbours United in the FA Cup semi-final and the potential for a Europa League spot to go to sixth place in the Premier League has rekindled the European hopes of Liverpool, Everton and Bolton Wanderers.

Guardian Service