Former Everton and Tottenham striker Gary Lineker has called on broadcasters Sky and BT Sport to help England.
Liverpool play Manchester United while Arsenal host Tottenham on Saturday August 31, six days before England take on Moldova then Ukraine in a vital double-header.
Lineker urged broadcasters Sky and BT Sport to keep the fixtures on Saturday - rather than move them to Sunday or even Monday TV slots - to give the squad more time to prepare for the games at Wembley and in Kiev.
He tweeted:
PL fixtures are said to have justifiably upset Roy Hodgson. AFC v THFC & LFC v MUFC just days before vital qualifiers. Never help ourselves! — Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 20, 2013
Onus now on Sky and BTsport to do the right thing and leave the games on Saturday. Time to put nation's interests before their own. — Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 20, 2013