Liverpool squad delighted as Arne Slot breaks with Jurgen Klopp tradition
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Liverpool Echo IconSportFootballLiverpool FCReds captain Virgil van Dijk said it was the first time it had ever happened in his Liverpool careerLiverpool's first-team players will have a rare festive break with their families this year after manager Arne Slot broke with tradition set by predecessors including Jurgen Klopp and decided to hand his squad Christmas Day off. The Reds are typically required to train on Christmas morning in preparation for the customary Boxing Day match, but an unusual twist in this season's calendar means they can spend the day at home instead.This year, only one match is scheduled for Boxing Day, with all other fixtures spread across the weekend of December 27 and 28 – a situation the Premier League attributes to UEFA increasing the number of European matches."The Premier League would like to acknowledge the circumstances that have led to a reduced number of matches on Boxing Day this season – impacting an important tradition in English football," the league stated when confirming this year's festive football calendar in October.READ MORE: International media reach Mohamed Salah verdict after Liverpool forward's late AFCON winnerREAD MORE: Alexander Isak Liverpool injury timeline confirmed as Conor Bradley and Cody Gakpo updates given"There are now several challenges to Premier League fixture scheduling rooted in the expansion of European club competitions – which led to a revision of our domestic calendar ahead of last season, including changes to the FA Cup."This ultimately left the Premier League as a 33-weekend competition – fewer than previous seasons, despite being a 380-match competition since 1995.
With fewer weekends to work with, the league is bound by how the calendar falls."Liverpool are set to take on Wolves at Anfield at 3pm on December 27, providing Slot with the chance to give his team and staff a rare Christmas break. The decision has been well received by the players, with captain Virgil van Dijk expressing that it would be "special" to spend the day at home for the first time during his Liverpool career."We have Christmas Day off which is very nice of the staff," the 34-year-old commented following Liverpool's 2-1 triumph over Spurs on Saturday.
It's special to be off on Christmas Day. I don't think it's happened in my Premier League career so far.