WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS will write to the English Premier League citing examples of other clubs who have fielded weakened teams without facing any sanction in an attempt to avoid any charges in the wake of Mick McCarthy’s controversial decision to make 10 changes to his starting XI for Tuesday night’s match at Old Trafford.
The Midlands club, who have been asked by the Premier League to provide an explanation for their team selection by the middle of next week, intend to make reference to Manchester United in particular, who made wholesale changes to their starting team on the final day of two of the previous three seasons.
On both occasions United were involved in fixtures that directly affected the prospects of clubs involved in a relegation battle yet escaped without any action being taken.
Wolves are expected to point out that Richard Scudamore, the Premier League’s chief executive, defended Alex Ferguson’s right to name what was effectively a reserve side against Hull City last year, when the United manager prioritised their Champions League final against Barcelona despite the fact that Newcastle United, Middlesbrough and Sunderland were all embroiled in a relegation battle with Phil Brown’s side.
“You can’t alter the fact that they’ve won the league and they’ve got the most significant game the following Wednesday against Barcelona,” said Scudamore at the time. “You have to be realistic: they’ve got a squad and therefore you can’t argue that they deploy the benefit of that squad in a game on Sunday.”
In light of those comments and the fact that Manchester United also faced no punishment two years earlier, when a weakened line-up lost to West Ham United at home and Sheffield United were relegated, Wolves believe that any disciplinary action would leave the Premier League open to accusations of double standards.
McCarthy is, however, expected to revert to a side that will bear a striking resemblance to the one that won at Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday when Burnley visit Molineux on Sunday.
The Wolves manager watched Burnley draw with Arsenal at Turf Moor on Wednesday night and has since admitted his players should start the game with a clear advantage over their opponents because of the extended rest they have been granted this week.
“I saw the game (against Arsenal) and with us having the extra day’s rest, it should be an advantage to us,” said McCarthy. “We’ve talked about the really important, pivotal games – those that could shape our season against Birmingham, Burnley, Portsmouth, Fulham, Hull and several more that we have to compete with at the bottom – and Burnley is a huge match.
He added: “It’s a pressure game for us and if what I did on Tuesday night with my selection has added a bit more pressure to the situation, then so be it, but I don’t see it that way.”
- Guardian Service
