Arsene Wenger is surprised by how the Premier League have planned the fixture scheduling around the Christmas period this season.
Some teams will have nine days off between their last game and their Boxing Day match, but then have to squeeze three games inside a week. The Gunners will have to play twice in 48 hours, against Crystal Palace on New Years Day and then against Bournemouth on the 3rd January.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference today, Wenger said he is not sure if this was deliberate or if TV had a role to play:
‘This week we have eight days without a game. After that, some teams play on the 26th and the 1st so they have a complete week’s break over Christmas which is unusual. Then suddenly you play on the 1st and then the 3rd, just 48 hours later. I don’t know whether it’s the television companies or the Premier League who have decided that, but it’s completely unusual. It looks less congested than it did before.’
Considering the Gunners play again the following Saturday against Preston North End in the FA Cup, the most sensible option would have been to play Bournemouth on the Wednesday, but as Wenger alludes to, the main culprit for this is Sky. Arsenal’s match against Bournemouth is televised so there would be very little flexibility from the Premier League on any changes that would affect Sky’s programming schedule.
