Everton manager David Moyes believes the Premier League should look at shutting down during the Africa Cup of Nations as his team attempt to cement their top four place without three key players.
Nigeria's Joseph Yobo and Ayegbeni Yakubu as well as South Africa's Stephen Pienaar are currently in Ghana for the African tournament.
Everton are also set to lose key Australian midfielder Tim Cahill for World Cup duty next week when the Asian qualifying round for the 2010 finals resumes.
"You cannot win. But maybe now we have to consider if we close the Premier League season down during the African Nations Cup," Moyes said.
"That would be the correct respect for Africa and the players in it. If we want to bring players in from that part of the world we should be rightly allowed to do so, which we are, but it is not a fair playing field if you cannot field your best team," he said.
Cahill's call-up for Australia's World Cup match against Qatar in Melbourne next Wednesday has also complicated Everton's Champions League push as he could miss league encounters with Blackburn and Reading.
"I think it's ridiculous that someone has to fly halfway around the world in between two league matches at this stage of the season," Moyes said.
"But Tim has to make the decision on whether he goes to play for Australia or not. He has got a hamstring injury just now so we will have to see if that hinders him in any way," he said.
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