The Premier League will be running a 'player break' next season as they allow their stars one full weekend off from action for the first time.
Manchester United and Manchester City players will be treated to the break after the turn of the year in 2020, though both sides might not be free at the same time.
Premier League Executive Chairman Richard Scudamore has revealed in a statement that five games will take place one weekend in January, with five more matches the following week. That means half of the league resting up for one weekend each.
It will be a welcome addition to the calendar for players across the Premier League who have been known to be hoping for similar treatment to their European counterparts, who enjoy a winter break. However, the Premier League chairman insisted the break from games is not a winter break.
“It’s all come together at a nice time and it’s now definite. We will have this split weekend and we are calling it a ‘mid-season player break’," Scudamore explained in a statement.
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“We’re not calling it a winter break. Why is that? Because we’re not breaking. We’re playing five games one week and five the other.
“I think that’s positive I think it’s good for English football. I have to compliment Martin Glenn, he doesn’t see anything other than a successful Premier League as being good for English football.”
It has also been reported that Premier League teams will not be allowed to take advantage of the free weekend and organise lucrative friendlies, with Arsenal recently facing Al-Nasr in Dubai last month. But they will be able to take their players abroad on warm weather camps.
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