Klopp hits out at ‘criminal’ schedule

Liverpool manager Ju¨ rgen Klopp has lambasted the Christmas fixture schedule as ‘‘criminal’’ even though his side are by no means the worst affected.

The Premier League leaders travel to second-placed Leicester today for a 9am kickoff (NZT) before hosting Wolves on Monday.

However, many sides have two matches in three days and the Liverpool boss – an outspoken critic of the congested calendar on numerous occasions – believes the authorities have got it all wrong.

‘‘None of the managers have a problem playing on Boxing Day, but playing on the 26th and 28th is a crime. Absolutely not OK and we still have it,’’ Klopp said.

‘‘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.

‘‘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.

‘‘Obviously we can say what we want but no one is listening. The body needs a specific amount of time to go again.

‘‘That is science. 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.’’

Liverpool have a 10-point and a match in hand over Leicester.