Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed that he has 'total empathy' with Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson's over concerns around player welfare.
Henderson admitted before Christmas that he was 'concerned' that 'nobody really takes player welfare seriously' in a stinging attack aimed at the Premier League.
But despite the Omicron Covid variant surging across Britain over the last month, football has continued as normal, although a number of games have been postponed.
However, Rodgers feels that the current schedule is not fit for purpose and believes matches should not be rearranged for January.
READ MORE: Chelsea suffer £146m blow as Liverpool and FSG avoid Barcelona fate
The ex- Liverpool boss said: "It is very important. I heard Jordan Henderson speak out last week and he was absolutely right. I'm pretty sure Jordan would have been talking more about the physical needs of players.
"If you're asking a player to play when they're fatigued then there's a high, high risk of injury. If you're playing a player who's tired because he's overly committed and does his ACL for a number of months, that's player welfare.
"Players will play every day of the week. They're great guys and great people. But if there's not a voice speaking out for them their careers and livelihoods are in danger.
“It's something that should be looked at. We look at it this month, we missed a couple of games. There's talk of our games being rearranged for January which I find ludicrous after the period we've come off.
"I'm only hoping that the Premier League aren't going to force players (to play extra games in January), especially with the Africa Cup of Nations. There are dates fixed in the calendar later on when for when games can be played.
"So I think that voice Jordan talked about - I have total empathy for what he was saying from the playing perspective."
While Rodgers also believes that fatigue caused by the Premier League’s festive fixture schedule is putting players’ careers at risk and is concerned that finances are being prioritised over player welfare.
“If you’re asking them to play when they’re fatigued — which they are — then there’s a high risk of injury," said Rodgers, whose Leicester's side scheduled match on Saturday has been postponed because of a number of Covid cases and injuries in the Norwich City squad.
“If players are committed and someone overstretches and does his ACL or suffers a broken leg, because you’re making a tired tackle, or some guy tackles you with a clumsy tackle and he’s out for months, that’s when it’s an issue.
“He may never play again, or it might push him back in his career, and fatigue will play a huge part in that. It’s their livelihoods in danger.
“Our boys played on the 26th and the 28th [of December], they wanted to do that — but they need a voice to speak out for them to help and support them.
“Yes, we played against Liverpool, but lost a player [in Jamie Vardy] who’s a very important part of our team. The result [a 1-0 win] doesn’t make everything right. It’s something that should be looked at.
“Now there’s talk of games being rearranged for January. I find that ludicrous really when you consider the period we’ve just come out of.”
