English Premier League
Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp furious with congested Premier League festive fixture
Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp furious with congested Premier League festive fixture
Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp and Leicester City manager have together slammed the Premier League festive fixtures ahead of Tuesday clash between the Reds and foxes at the King power stadium.
Klopp insists teams should not be made to play on both 26th and 28th, given them only 48 hours break.
Fortunately for Liverpool that is not the case as the clash with Leeds United on Boxing Day was called off following a Covid-19 outbreak and injuries within Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
The Reds head to the king power stadium with Fabinho, Virgil van Dijk, Thiago Alcantara and Curtis Jones all available again following their positive coronavirus tests.
Klopp has criticized the Christmas fixture and insists that the Leeds and Leicester games being originally slated for December 26 and 28 was unacceptable.
Speaking at a press Conference ahead of the match he said “The situation should not be like this and we can discuss this every year,”
“It’s tradition and we want to play on Boxing Day, we could have played on Boxing Day and that would have been no problem at all.
“But playing on the 26th and the 28th is just not right, I just say that because it’s true and I think we can find solutions for that.
“It’s not that difficult to play football in a slightly different way. The 26th and the 29th, where’s the problem?”
Leicester City boss Brandan Rodgers agreed with Klopp’s criticism, saying it is ridiculous that Leicester will play another game in a little more than 48 hours after their 6-3 defeat at Manchester City.
“It’s a ridiculous schedule, we all know that,” Rodgers said.
“Players aren’t fully recovered for 72 hours after a game, so for us to be playing on a Tuesday against Liverpool is ridiculous.
“It’s a very quick turnaround. To play Man City and Liverpool in quick succession over this period is a big challenge, especially with the squads that they have.”
In other news, Liverpool handed major Mo Salah boost ahead of Chelsea clash
