Winter Break in Premier League: Which clubs are taking time off and for how long?

The Premier League winter break is staggered, with clubs given a weekend off in January. However, FA Cup involvement and replays will impact the plans of some teams. Arsenal will be heading to Dubai during their 12-day break before their next fixture. On the other hand, Nottingham Forest boss Nuno expressed disappointment as their plans for a break were ruined due to an FA Cup replay. West Ham and Brentford also had their breaks interrupted by replays with Bristol City and Wolves respectively.

Crystal Palace is facing a similar situation as they have a replay with Everton during their downtime. The winter break had been canceled for the past three seasons due to Covid and the winter World Cup, and some teams are missing out on their break again. Liverpool will have to wait for their rest period as they have a Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Fulham before their next Premier League match.

Luton had their planned day off scrapped so they could prepare for their rearranged Premier League fixture with Burnley. However, they can at least look forward to some time off later in the month along with Aston Villa, Burnley, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle, and Tottenham, as they are part of the second half of the staggered break with no Premier League games until the final midweek of the month. Although, progress in the Cup would mean a fourth-round tie on the weekend of January 20/21.

After a busy December with many teams playing eight times, January provides more time on the training pitch and a rare opportunity to rest and recover. However, some of the plans have been disrupted. Blackpool boss Neil Critchley responded wryly to the complaints of top-flight managers, stating that the schedule may be busy, but that’s just how it is.