Man City shouldn't be playing two games in 48 hours, protests Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has spoken in favour of Manchester City and has protested over the league's congested fixture list. The English champions are set to play Wolves on 28th and then play Sheffield United with two fixtures scheduled to take place with less than 48 hours of a break.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has shown his Christmas solidarity to title rivals Manchester City by branding it a “crime” that the champions have been forced into an unfavourable festive fixture schedule. The Reds could be heavily benefited with City’s cramped up matches as the recently crowned FIFA Club World Cup champs hope to extend their 11 point lead over City but Klopp has supported Pep Guardiola’s complaints about playing on late Friday and Sunday. Liverpool get an extra day’s rest after their match at closest rivals Leicester City on Boxing Day.
“It is absolutely not OK. None of the managers have a problem playing on Boxing Day, but playing on the 26th and 28th is a crime. This year we play 26th and 29th and it is like a holiday. I understand all those saying it should not happen. They are not moaning. They are telling. It is not for the spectacle. It would not be a problem to play 26th and 29th with more teams. There is no reason why more teams do not get more than 48 hours between a Premier League game,” said Klopp to the Guardian.
Liverpool themselves faced a daunting task a couple of weeks ago when the Carabao Cup quarter final was scheduled on 17th December and the FIFA Club World Cup semi final in Qatar was to take place on the 18th. Klopp wasn’t sure on how the logistics would have worked and prioritised the FIFA competition over the League cup. The Reds fielded an academy eleven in the Carabao cup and lost 5-0 to Aston Villa and the ex Mainz manager went on to explain the biological aspect of playing with little to no break.
“Obviously, we can say what we want but no one is listening. Every year is the same for the coaches with the 26th and 28th. Sports science gives you nothing to deal with this. The body needs a specific amount of time to go again. But we ignore that completely. We just say, ‘Oh, they look strange running around again today.’ We are not in that situation this year, but I understand each manager who mentions it from time to time – or pretty much always – when we see it coming up because it is just not OK, but other people have to decide that,” concluded Klopp.