Arsenal’s head coach Arsene Wenger addresses a press conference in Munich, southern Germany on November 3, 2015 (AFP Photo/Christof Stache)
LONDON, January 12 – Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger claims Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has no reason to complain about his team’s fixture pile-up because of the vast wealth enjoyed by top Premier League clubs.
Wenger’s league leaders face Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday as Klopp struggles with a severe injury list, and to make matters worse Liverpool face a run of six games in 18 days.
But Klopp made 11 changes for the Reds’ 2-2 FA Cup third round draw at Exeter on Friday.
The former Borussia Dortmund chief says the biggest difference between managing in England rather than Germany is the number of games.
But Wenger, now in his 20th season at Arsenal, insisted Klopp should be able to adapt to the English game, especially with the financial resources available at Anfield.
“I must say you get that from everybody who comes to England at the start because you have to adapt to the English style,” Wenger told reporters on Monday.
“I was like that, and I’m still in favour of a winter break, but without losing the traditions of English football. That is play over Christmas, and maybe have a break in January.
“But I believe as well that we go a little bit overboard because today the English clubs are in a financial situation to have a squad of 25 top, top level players.
“It’s not like it was 25 years ago, so we cannot always complain that we play too much because we have players who can rotate, players who want to play.
“In every club now, when I look at the bench I am quite impressed with the players who are there and can play, so I don’t believe that it’s like we have 13 players who have to play every single game.”
Klopp has introduced his successful ‘gegenpressing’ style at Anfield after it helped him to five major honours during his time in charge of Dortmund.
But the physical exertion required to succeed with such a method of play has been highlighted by some as a reason for the number of injuries accumulating at Liverpool.
Wenger dismissed that theory, saying: “I don’t think you can explain the injuries of the players by the intensity of the game.
“First of all it’s difficult for me to assess this situation because I don’t know exactly what’s happening. Every injury is an individual case.”
