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Jurgen Klopp: Playing two games during Christmas is a crime against football

Every European leagues have begun their Christmas holiday, but not Premier League in which Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says it’s a crime against football.

The Reds are facing title rivals Leicester City on Thursday, and in the next 48 hours they will meet Wolves at Anfield.

Leicester are even worse, as they meet Liverpool on Thursday, they are playing West Ham on the afternoon kick-off on Saturday.

Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham and Everton also in similar situations.

“None of the managers have a problem with Boxing Day. None of us. But playing on the 26th and then the 28th is a crime. That’s absolutely not okay, and yet we still have it. This year we have the 26th and the 29th and it’s like a holiday,” Klopp said during press conference.

“I understand all the others who are not moaning, but telling that it just should not happen. It should not happen.

“There is no reason for giving teams less than 48 hours to play another Premier League game, but obviously we can say whatever we want and no one is really interested.

Klopp believes Premier League have ignored the importance behind sports science.

“Every year it is the same for the coaches who are involved in those games on the 26th and the 28th… sports science does not give you anything to deal with it because there are things that are just as they are.

“The body needs a specific amount of time to go again. That’s how it is. It depends how long it is, but that’s easy, t’s science. But we ignore that completely, we just look and think, ‘Oh my god, they look strange’, when they run today again.

“I understand each manager who mentions it from time to time, pretty much always at the 23rd or 24th of December when they realise that it’s coming up, because it’s just not okay. But other people have to decide that.”

After returning from winning the Club World Cup, Liverpool have set their sights back to the title race.

It could be one of the most important game of the season, having 10-point lead over Leicester, and with a game in hand.

Klopp however thinks Liverpool simply cannot lose a single game, having experienced that over the past two seasons.

“I think City moved the bar massively, massively. So, the kind of consistency that they showed in the last three years probably is incredible and difficult to do.

“You’re not allowed to lose games. That’s how it is. It’s difficult, obviously, but winning the Premier League should be difficult.”