Wenger suggests fixture plan

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has proposed that the final three rounds of Premier League matches kick off simultaneously.

All ten fixtures on the final day of the season will take place at the same time so nobody will have the benefit of knowing other results.

Wenger feels this should be extended, in the interest of fairness, with a number of key issues likely to be decided before the campaign comes to a close on 22nd May.

"I think they should make each team's last three fixtures all kick off at the same time, not just the last one," Wenger told the Official Arsenal Magazine.

"There are advantages and disadvantages to kicking off later than the other teams. If you kick off later than your rivals, and they have lost, then you are in a more comfortable situation.

Pivotal

"Psychologically it can give you a lift, and it's true that it can apply for us or Manchester United or Chelsea, but I think it would be better not to give any team this advantage.
"Weekends where you win and your opponents lose become absolutely pivotal now."
Arsenal are currently five points adrift of leaders Manchester United, but with a game in hand, and will hope to have made up the deficit by the final day of the season.
The Gunners do not yet know whether they will be playing before or after United on the weekends Wenger is discussing, but if the rivals are in action at the same time he will not lose focus by trying to keep track of what is happening at another ground.
"No, I wait until afterwards," he added. "If they play before us, then I like to know the result, but if it's the same time, I don't mind not knowing until the end.
"I tell the players to forget about the other matches as far as possible, and just focus on how they want to play."

Bendtner scare

Wenger has a number of injury concerns for the run-in and he was given another scare on Wednesday when Nicklas Bendtner picked up a knock in training for Denmark.
The 23-year-old striker is pictured in the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet with ice packed onto his ankle and was taken back to the team hotel for further tests.
According to the report, Bendtner suffered the ankle problem while running and there was no other player involved.
It remains to be seen whether the injury will prove to be serious, but the striker now looks a doubt for Denmark's Euro 2012 qualifier against Norway on Saturday