Although there is no New Year’s Day fixture to follow the games against Everton and Middlesbrough that are crammed into 48 hours this weekend, an FA Cup tie at Aston Villa on January 4 is followed by a Barclaycard Premiership trip to Bolton three days later.

The congestion contrasts sharply with the continent’s other major leagues, who will all break for at least a fortnight during the next month.

Even the Scottish Premier League experimented with a break over the past three seasons, only for the cash-strapped non-Old Firm clubs to call a halt to the idea this term.

And, while Ferguson is not advocating the abandonment of the traditional Festive programme, which generally attracts bigger crowds and provides much-needed income, he does believe a break should follow.

“This is an important time for English football because you always get bigger crowds during the Christmas period,” he said.

“But it is a really hectic spell and what we should be looking at is having a break in January.”

Ferguson is ready to rotate his squad over the next fortnight and could make two or three changes from the team which beat Tottenham to take top spot on Sunday.

Skipper Roy Keane is a certain absentee from the St Stephen's Day encounter with Everton as he nurses a tight hamstring, although the combative Irishman is expected to face Boro on Sunday.

Keane’s absence could mean a rare Premiership start for Nicky Butt, although there are other options which include drafting Kleberson back into the starting line-up or recalling Quinton Fortune or Diego Forlan.

Ferguson has already guaranteed Rio Ferdinand a place in his defence, having continued to back the England defender throughout the drugs inquiry that last week landed him with an eight-month ban.

The £29.3m (€41.7m) defender is almost certain to launch his appeal against the suspension early in the new year, although the imminent return to fitness of Wes Brown after his second cruciate knee ligament operation at least provides Ferguson with some cover.

Brown turned out in a closed-doors practice match with Burnley at United’s Carrington training ground on Wednesday morning and Ferguson revealed the England international is not far off a first-team comeback.

“He is not quite ready but it will be any time soon,” said the United boss.

“Last year he came back from his ankle injury and played one reserve game before he played in the Premiership at West Ham, which proves he has the capability to perform at any time.

“He is training very well and is getting better all the time.

Ole Gunar Solskjaer is also on the comeback trail after knee surgery and Ferguson revealed the Norwegian is pencilled in for a reserve team outing against Birmingham on January 15.

With a foray into the transfer market planned when the window opens next month, Ferguson is in a familiar position of strength.

Only the law of averages would suggest anything other than a home win on Friday given the Toffeemen’s appalling recent record against United.

Since Paul Rideout’s header won the 1995 FA Cup Final at Wembley, Ferguson’s men have won 14 of their 16 Premiership meetings with the other two ending in draws.

A late Paul Scholes-inspired goal blitz sealed victory in the corresponding fixture last term and another three points are required to maintain pole position in a three-cornered title fight with Arsenal and Chelsea.

“The way the top three are at the moment it’s important to keep grinding out results,” he said.

“There are not too many mistakes being made, so we don’t want to make any.

“It won’t be easy on Saturday because Everton have had a couple of good results recently which has helped them get out of the relegation area and probably given them some extra confidence.

“If you look at the ability within their squad and their performances last season, most people would have been surprised they were in that position in the first place.

“But you have to get results, especially this season. Below the top three if you lose a couple of games you can slip four or five places very easily.”