Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce slams Premier League for trying to upstage the FA Cup

SAM ALLARDYCE has criticised the Premier League for trying to upstage the FA Cup.

Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce is not happy with Premier League chief Richard Scudamore

Sunderland manager Alardyce claims next week's full midweek programme straight after this weekend's third round is another blow of the world's oldest knock-out competition.

His anger at Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore is fuelled by the decision to put back Sunderland's crucial game at Swansea 24 hours to next Wednesday, with his struggling side facing Tottenham in a lunchtime kick-off at White Hart Lane three days later.

Allardyce says he will therefore have no choice but to send out a virtual reserve side for this Saturday's cup tie at Arsenal.

"If the Premier League decides to put a stupid fixture midweek when they don't need to then I haven't got much choice," said Allardyce.

"That's diabolical. Why put one in there?

"We've got the rest of the season after that and we've just done six games in 24 days.

"We're flogging the lads with injuries, it's more and more apparent every year but it's completely ignored by the Premier League."