Inside Premier League players' Christmas Day 'in the water' with 'buckets full of broccoli'
Boxing Day football is much loved by fans and one of the highlights of the Christmas calendar, but it can be difficult for the players.
December 26 It's an iconic date on the English top-flight calendar, but stars across the country have to end the festivities early.
A full week of Premier League matches begins on Boxing Day, meaning Clubs will need to train and/or travel. at Christmas.
city of manchester start things at 12:30, live and exclusive on talkSPORTwhich can be bad news for pep guardiola.
The Spanish, object of attacks, had previously to warn Jack Grealish and Phil Foden about their off-field antics during the 2021 festive celebrations.
The pair were dropped from the starting XI in City's 4-0 win over Newcastle that year and He didn't even come off the bench.
The English duo will undoubtedly be on their best behavior this season as Guardiola's men have just one win in their last 12.
Like hundreds of other Premier League players, they will be acutely aware of the potential dangers ahead of the busiest time of the year.
What do players do on Christmas Day?
Premier League teams playing on Boxing Day must train on Christmas Day to stay alert.
For away games, teams will be forced not only to train but also travel the night of Christmas Day to stay in a hotel.
shay given he told the Irish independent in 2017: “When you watch games as a player, you're looking at Boxing Day and New Year's Day to see if we're home or away.”
“There was a period when Newcastle had about seven or eight consecutive away games on Boxing Day. It seemed like we had been completely cursed!
6
When do you train on Christmas Day?
Teams lucky enough to play at home on Boxing Day will have a morning session so they can join their families for Christmas dinner.
About Christmas training, the Newcastle coach Eddie Howe revealed: “We will train them, but we will not keep them any longer than necessary and then they can enjoy Christmas like everyone else.”
Kyle Walker revealed that Manchester City have been a rare team to have had a Christmas break, as reward for their domestic dominance that has seen the club win six of the last seven Premier League titles.
However, Guardiola has canceled the Etihad tradition this season to reverse the team's horrendous recent form.
The defender told the You'll never beat Kyle Walker podcast: “We've been lucky over the last few seasons to not have had to train on Christmas Day…most do.
“We're doing it this season because we obviously have Everton at 12.30 on Boxing Day, but in the last few seasons I know we've had Christmas Day off, which has been really nice.”
6
Walker had previously trained on Christmas Day and added: “It's as quick as possible, you're in and out, and the coach appreciates that. He knows that.”
“It keeps the training short and precise: you're in your Christmas jumpers, but you're in and out, you can't hang around the sauna club, there's nothing like that.
“It's literally get in, train and get out!”
Jamie Carragher It has also offered a glimpse of what Walker can expect from a player so used to having a Christmas break.
“You just get used to it,” Carragher said. “The worst thing is when you're away from home but you always train on Christmas Day.
“If it's a home game, it was almost a matter of getting there as early as possible, 9-10 and then going home.
“On the away game, you'd be in a hotel on Christmas night, training later that day. Normally games mean you wouldn't be too far away.”
6
Do footballers eat or drink at Christmas?
The former do, as long as they refrain from anything too suffocating (pun intended).
Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold He revealed last week that Christmas dinner is the first topic of conversation he has with his fellow defender Andy Robertson on the team bus that night.
he said sky sports: “That's the first question we ask: not what did you get (but) how was your dinner?”
However, the real discipline comes when alcohol is offered.
“A lot of families could never understand it,” Carragher added. “They told me let's have a drink! And we said 'I have a game', but it didn't bother me too much.
“A drink or something isn't going to do anything at all, but I would never drink at Christmas.
“I don't understand having one or two: going out and having a good drink, or what's the point? I've never drunk at home, ever.”
Former City and Newcastle goalkeeper Given agreed, saying: “I wouldn't drink and eat smaller plates than everyone else.
“They were opening some drinks while I was in the water.”
6
6
arsenal legend Ian Wright He admitted that he enjoyed training on Christmas Day because of the silence that reigned everywhere.
“It's strange, when you drive up on Christmas morning there's no one there, it's beautiful. Everyone is so friendly, people say hi to you in the cars because it's Christmas morning… even the Spurs fans! “. Wright said the sun.
“But when you get to training it's the same thing: all the guys have just left their families and it's one of those things you get used to as the years go by.”
Wright added: “You can really eat whatever you want; Arsene Wenger liked it a little less, but he always wanted us to eat together.
“We ate turkey when we got to the team hotel, but we needed a lot of broccoli!”
