The Premier League’s latest broadcast selections have brought changes to all four of Tottenham’s fixtures during the first three weeks of December 2026, but one alteration could leave Roberto De Zerbi’s side at a significant disadvantage ahead of their North London derby against Arsenal.

Fixture congestion should not be a major concern for Tottenham Hotspur this season. After finishing 17th in the Premier League last term, Spurs have no European football to contend with, while their Carabao Cup campaign ended in the third round following a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool last month.

That leaves the club largely free to focus on one match a week until their FA Cup campaign begins in early 2027, when additional midweek fixtures could follow depending on their progress.

However, the latest scheduling changes show that even without European commitments, Tottenham are not entirely free from the complications of fixture planning.

Tottenham have only two days to prepare for the North London derby

The Premier League has completed its broadcast selections for match rounds 13 to 16 in December, resulting in changes to all four of Tottenham’s fixtures during that period.

Spurs’ opening two matches of the month have both been brought forward by a day. Their home fixture against Fulham will now take place on Thursday, 3 December, at 8 pm, while the North London derby against Arsenal has been moved to Sunday, 6 December, with a 4.30 pm kick-off.

That leaves Tottenham with just two days to recover and prepare for one of their biggest matches of the season. Arsenal, meanwhile, will have three days between their preceding fixture and the derby, giving Mikel Arteta’s side an extra day to prepare for the trip across north London.

It may seem a small difference on paper, but an additional day of recovery and tactical preparation can be valuable ahead of a fixture of this magnitude. De Zerbi can only hope his players can navigate the Fulham game without picking up fresh injuries.

There is some relief further down the schedule, however. Tottenham’s trip to newly promoted Hull City, initially scheduled for Saturday, 12 December, has been postponed by two days to Monday, 14 December.

Their visit to Liverpool remains on Saturday, 19 December, although kick-off has been moved from 3 pm to the later slot of 5.30 pm.