Transfer deadline day: Sam Allardyce hits out at Premier League for matches on last day of window

Leicester will face Allardyce's Everton without Riyad Mahrez after a late bid for him and the former England manager believes there should not be matches on the same day as the deadline

Sam Allardyce doesn't want matches to be played on deadline day (Getty)

Everton manager Sam Allardyce has called for the Premier League to avoid scheduling games on transfer deadline day as it puts clubs under too much pressure.

Everton host Leicester City on Wednesday, one of six games on the schedule, and Allardyce said speculation about players coming and going before the transfer window closed was a distraction.

“I’m a manager and I want the best possible opportunities to function correctly,” he said.

“I have enough pressure in the game as it is at the moment without heaping more on top of me, which is exactly what this does, on every manager in the Premier League.

“Perhaps they will listen to [Manchester City manager] Pep Guardiola and [Liverpool manager] Jürgen Klopp more than me in the future because I have been banging on about this for 15 years now.”

Allardyce’s comments are all the more relevant given that Everton’s opponents on deadline day, Leicester City, will arrive at Goodison Park without Riyad Mahrez after he was subject to a sudden offer from City.

The Premier League leaders may hold a controlling 12-point lead at the top of the table, but the loss of Leroy Sane to injury for six weeks has triggered a frantic and late surge to find a replacement.

Reuters