Hectic festive schedule a crime: Klopp
LONDON: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has described the Premier League’s hectic festive schedule as a “crime” against some teams t hat are f orced t o play t wo matches in the space of 48 hours.
The league leaders, who won the Club World Cup title by beating Brazil’s Flamengo last Saturday, take on second-placed Leicester City on Thursday and host Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday, but other teams including Manchester City are not as fortunate.
The champions visit Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday before welcoming Sheffield United on Sunday, prompting manager Pep Guardiola to write to the league to “thank” them for a demanding schedule.
“It is absolutely not OK,” Klopp told the British media. “There’s no reason why more teams do not get more than 48 hours between Premier League games.
“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’s like a holiday,” he added
The likes of Brighton & Hove Albion, Everton, Watford and Manchester United all play two games within just 48 hours this week.
“I understand all those saying it shouldn’t happen. They’re not moaning. They’re telling,” Klopp added.
“We can say what we want but no one is listening... 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.”
Liverpool are l ooking t o increase their 10-point advantage over Leicester, while the Foxes will aim to return to winning ways after their nine-match unbeaten run was ended by Man City.
ANCELOTTI BACKS KEAN (Reuters) - New Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti said his misfiring striker Moise Kean needs time to adapt to a new league and backed the Italian teenager to overcome his problems and succeed, citing the example of Michel Platini at Juventus in the 80s.
The 19-year-old Kean joined Everton from Italian champions Juventus in August on a fiveyear deal for a fee of around 27.5 million euros ($30.49 million), but is yet to score in 13 Premier
League matches.
He struggled under former manager Marco Silva while Duncan Ferguson, Everton’s interim boss before Ancelotti took charge, brought him on as a second-half substitute against Manchester United this month and took him off before the game finished.
“When I was a player I remember Platini arriving at Juventus from Saint Etienne (at 27). It took him six months to adjust and that was Platini,” Ancelotti told the British media.
“I had the same problem with Hirving Lozano when he came to Napoli and he was two or three years older than Kean... We should always be patient with young players.
“Kean is a player we tried to sign when I was at Napoli but he chose Everton. He has fantastic quality and I’m sure he’ll be a top talent but he’s 19 and everything is new for him here.”
Italian Ancelotti will take charge of 15th-placed Everton for the first time against Burnley, who are 10th, on Thursday.