Arsenal and United clash over Old Trafford date

The date of next month's potential English premier league title decider between Manchester United and Arsenal is in doubt after United requested that the match be played a day earlier than planned.

The hotly-anticipated Old Trafford fixture, which has been already been rescheduled twice, was due to have taken place on May 8.

However Arsenal said in a statement on their official website on Tuesday that United had now requested that the match be played on May 7.

"Due to our participation in the FA Cup Final on Saturday May 4, and the fact that our supporters have already bought tickets and made travel arrangements for the match at Old Trafford on Wednesday May 8, we feel it would be wrong to now alter this date which has been previously agreed," Arsenal said.

The game was first scheduled for last Saturday, April 13, but moved provisionally to May 5 because Arsenal were playing in the FA Cup semifinals on April 14.

But because Arsenal won their semifinal 1-0 against Middlesbrough they will now contest the FA Cup final against Chelsea on May 4.

The Premier League had already ruled that, if Arsenal reached the Cup final, their game against United would be moved to May 8.

Both teams are suffering badly from fixture congestion as the end of the season approaches.

Arsenal, currently one point clear of Liverpool and two clear of United at the top of the premier league table, have five league games left.

They are at home to Ipswich on April 21, home to West Ham on April 24 and away to Bolton on April 29.

After the cup final against Chelsea on May 4 they were due to face United on May 8 before finishing with a league game at home to Everton on May 11.

Apart from the Arsenal fixture United have three league games left -- away to Chelsea on April 20, away to Ipswich on April 27 and home to Charlton Athletic on May 11.

But they also play Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal on April 24, with the return in Germany on April 30.