Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has again hit out at the frenzied festive scheduling and insisting that teams should not play on Boxing Day and the 28th as the turnaround time does not allow sufficient time for players to rest sufficiently in between the two dates.
The outspoken German has previously maintained a very strong stance on the issue, although finally the Reds did not play on Boxing Day as their scheduled opponents Leeds had to call of the match as a umber of their players had tested positive for Covid leading to the game getting postponed.
Not without their own Covid issues, Liverpool have confirmed that Fabinho, Virgil van Dijk, Thiago and Curtis Jones are all back in time for their clash with Leicester, with Klopp stating that every morning was like a ‘lottery’ to see if anybody tests positive, and confirmed a young player and two members of staff are currently isolating.
Klopp has reiterated his comments that clubs should not have to play games within two days of one another despite Liverpool not having to play on Boxing Day, and said in his pre-match press conference ahead of Leicester:
‘So many people say it’s tradition – we wanted to play on Boxing Day. We could have played on Boxing Day no problem at all but it was because of Leeds obviously the situation there so we accept that.
‘But playing them on the 26th and then the 28th is just not right. I just say that because it’s true.
‘I think we can find solutions for that, it’s not difficult to play football in a different way like 26th and 29th which is less of a problem. Some teams are doing that like Manchester United (27th and 30th).
‘It would help players, even with no Covid. Some teams have a proper Covid problem and then you rush a smaller group of players through two games.
‘You need luck and you shouldn’t need luck in these moments. Boxing Day is never in doubt, we always want to play on Boxing Day it’s a great fixture, it’s really good for everybody but after that moment we don’t stop discussing.
‘If we don’t discuss it then it just stays like this, maybe it stays like this anyway, but the players need help and the help needs to come through other areas.’
The Anfield manager was also insistent that it’s wrong to require 14 votes for five substitutions to be brought into place – highlighting the difference Liverpool and Burnley as an example.
He added: ‘The decision needs 14 votes to change it and that’s something wrong. As example, Burnley not sure how many players have international football when we have three games – they have no games.
‘So we talk about an issue some clubs definitely have, some players definitely have but it’s decided by other teams.
‘And because we make a competition of it you know it will be ‘no they are better than us’ and stuff like this, it’s a real problem because it’s the right decision especially in this moment.
‘You bring players back after Covid infection or injury and with amount of games you play you need to play them straight away.
‘This wonderful game is so wonderful because usually the players are in good shape, well trained and recovered and go for it. The best league in the world and the most intense league in the world is the only league in Europe, maybe the world with three subs.’