Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that he is surprised by the scheduling of the festive fixtures this season.

Christmas is known to be one of the busiest times of the year for football clubs, with matches coming thick and fast due to the traditional fixtures on Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

However, Arsenal's Boxing Day clash with West Bromwich Albion will be their only fixture in almost a two-week period, and Wenger acknowledged that the games seem less congested this year.

"It's a bit surprising this year because I don't completely understand the organisation of the fixtures this season," he told reporters.

"Last week, after the Champions League, we played two games so that's three games a week. 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 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."

Arsenal currently sit fourth in the Premier League table, nine points adrift of leaders Chelsea.