The relationship between the FA and Premier League — never great at the best of times — has deteriorated further with the ridiculous clash of fixtures on Saturday . Both organisations blame each other for their respective rights holders , Sky and the BBC , scheduling the marquee Chelsea vs Manchester United league match against the FA Cup semi-final between Reading and Arsenal . The Cup game attracted a peak audience of 6.9 million , over treble the 2m rating for the PL game on Sky . But both viewing figures would have been higher had they not coincided . Arsenal 's FA Cup semi-final victory over Reading on Saturday clashed with a top Premier League fixture . With star quality including Wayne Rooney and Eden Hazard on show , Manchester United 's visit to Chelsea took viewers away from the game at Wembley , bringing the Premier League and FA into another dispute . The FA say that the dates of the semi-final were known at the start of the season , while the Premier League point to the Sky fixtures for the weekend having been set last February — a month before the BBC announced their semi-final schedule . To add to the muddle — with the TV armchair fan the big loser — the Premier League purposely chose to broadcast fixtures involving top-four clubs on semi-final days . They do this because the FA Cup takes precedence and the league postponement means Sky often then have the bonus of a blockbuster live televised midweek game close to the end of the season that could have a bearing on the title race . But Chelsea and Manchester United both being knocked out of the Cup prevented that happening this season . Hazard celebrates the only goal of the game in the Premier League showdown , but viewers missed out . Luke Shaw , who has had weight problems since joining Manchester United , enjoyed one of his better games against Chelsea in a season when he rates his own performances as C minus . Coincidentally , hard-line United boss Louis van Gaal has banned his players from stopping at the permanent fast food van on the road leading to United ’ s Carrington training base . The van has been a favourite pit stop for United stars , including David Beckham , down the years . But having no choice but to lay off their tempting bacon sarnies could be the making of Shaw , it seems . Luke Shaw was in impressive form at Stamford Bridge , and he might owe his form to a change in diet . Joe Root 's football-style celebration of his two wickets in the first Test added some impetus to England ’ s bowling team , with Root looking more like the next Test captain with every game . But not everyone was impressed , including former Crystal Palace manager Alan Smith , who is following England in the Caribbean and who tweeted his disapproval , adding that he was ‘ old school ’ . But Smith is canny enough that when he sold his cricket agency Arundel , he kept hold of the wealth management business that still looks after a good proportion of the England side . Joe Root celebrates the wicket of Darren Bravo , but his exuberance has been criticised by Alan Smith . Kevin Pietersen is the elephant in the room , even at England ’ s sleepy Sugar Ridge Hotel on the day after the first Test . Alastair Cook could be seen in a long conversation with Test Match Special ’ s Jonathan Agnew . It transpired this was a clear-the-air chat between the sensitive pair after Cook was upset with Agnew for being so positive about Pietersen ’ s World Cup stint with the programme . Quite why this should annoy Cook is hard to understand . Alastair Cook seems unable to get past the continuing rumours about an England return for Kevin Pietersen . Pietersen has expressed a desire to play Test cricket again , and is trying to prove himself at Surrey . Clarke back for more . You might think the ECB ’ s preposterous president , Giles Clarke , would be keeping his head down after making such a fool of himself at the 2015 Wisden launch by haranguing guest speaker Ehsan Mani and almanack editor Lawrence Booth . Instead he wants ‘ Sale ’ , as he addresses your Sports Agenda columnist in an email , to make clear that he missed the Test in Antigua not because of anything to do with his doomed five-year deal for T20 matches on the island with serial fraudster Allen Stanford , but because he was attending ICC board meetings in Dubai . Giles Clarke attends an ICC Board meeting in Dubai , which was his reason for not being at the Test in Antigua . Ironically , Clarke ’ s replacement as ECB representative in Antigua was Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove , who loathes Clarke . One thing has remained reassuringly constant during all the turbulence of England cricket abroad over the last 16 years — veteran team operations manager Phil Neale always has the best suntan . However , colleagues point out how hard former Worcester captain Neale works when he ’ s not sunning himself around the pool .
Football Association and Sky fall out over clash . BBC and Premier League viewing figures both suffered with games on at same time . Luke Shaw might have been helped by Louis van Gaal 's fast-food rules . Joe Root 's celebrations come in for criticism , while Alastair Cook is still worrying about Kevin Pietersen 's media coverage .