Antonio Conte is unhappy about Liverpool's early advantage ahead of Chelsea's visit to Anfield

Antonio Conte has taken a sarcastic dig at the Premier League schedule ahead of Chelsea's game against Liverpool on Saturday, 25 November.

The Blues manager believes that Jurgen Klopp's side have already been handed an advantage owing to the schedule.

Chelsea travel to Anfield on Saturday as the battle for a place in the top four rages on and both teams will look to get maximum points. Just four points separate second-placed Manchester United and sixth-placed Arsenal.

However, ahead of the weekend's Premier League fixtures, the top six teams will be involved in Europe and this is the main sticking point with the Italian coach. Liverpool will travel to Spain to take on Sevilla on Tuesday, 21 November, in the Champions League, while Chelsea travel to Azerbaijan to take on Qarabag 24 hours later on Wednesday, 22 November.

The reigning league champions face a 5,800-mile round-trip to Baku and will only arrive in London 72 hours before their game against Klopp's side. Conte is unhappy that his team will not get the required rest or the time to prepare before they head to Merseyside for the late kick-off on Saturday.

The manager has called on the Premier League schedulers to pay greater attention while making the fixtures. The former Juventus boss is not the first English top-flight manager to question the scheduling, with Jose Mourinho also very vocal last season about the fixture pile-up during United's Europa League campaign.

"For sure, who prepares these fixtures must pay great attention," Conte said after Chelsea's win over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, 18 November, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.

"Don't forget, now we have another problem because we are going to play at Qarabag on Wednesday and then we go back to London at five, six o'clock, but we have another great game against Liverpool on Saturday. Is it normal, this? I don't think.

"If someone wants more balance in this league, I think they must pay greater attention before to prepare the fixtures," the Italian coach reiterated.