‘It is s a chance for us to win some games’
Liverpool have enough quality and strength in depth in the squad to win games and pick up important points during a demanding festive schedule, striker Christian Benteke has said.
The Reds are ninth in the Premier League table after 17 games but winless in their last four in all competitions.
The team registered four straight wins prior to their early December loss to Newcastle United. Those wins included a thumping 4-1 win at ManchesterCity in the league in November.
"It is a special period because you have Christmas and New Year and a lot of games coming up," Benteke told the club's website. "It is s a chance for us to win some games.
"Everyone knows that we have a very big squad with a lot of quality. We have to try to put that quality together."
The Merseyside club face surprise leaders LeicesterCity on Saturday and Benteke said Liverpool were vary of the threat the Foxes posed.
"They (Leicester) will not just sit back and wait for a mistake," Benteke said. "They will want to play and show that they have the quality to play. That's why they're first in the league."
Benteke, who moved from Aston Villa in July for 32.5 million pounds, has gone six league games without a goal and manager Juergen Klopp opted to start Roberto Firmino in attack ahead of the Belgian in Sunday's loss at Watford.
"I am feeling good and I want to play because it's a big game. But it's up to the manager and I respect his decision," Benteke said.
Koeman believes Saints need miracle to survive Christmas
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman criticised the scheduling of his side's next two Premier League matches, insisting the short turnaround will force him into making numerous changes.
Arsenal visit St Mary's Stadium for the late kick-off on Boxing Day (Saturday) and on Monday, the 12th-placed Saints will travel to London to face West Ham.
"It's less than 48 hours," the Dutch manager told the club's YouTube channel. "That's ridiculous this weekend."
Southampton's loss to Tottenham on Saturday was their fourth defeat in five league games. In Koeman's first season at the helm last year, the club finished seventh in the league.
Koeman said that players needed at least 48 hours to recover and recalled last year's holiday season fixtures involved four changes. This year the team might have to make more changes, he added.
While most of Europe's elite leagues enjoy a winter break, the Premier League has one of its busiest periods.
The lack of a winter break in England has drawn criticism from other managers including Koeman's countryman at Manchester United Louis van Gaal, who has previously described the schedule as "evil".
Some supporters of the festive season matches see it as a part of English football's tradition. Arsene Wenger had said he would "cry" if a winter break was introduced, insisting this was an important part of the League being popular around the world.
Earlier in December, Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce said he plans to take his Sunderland squad to Dubai in February to recover from the festive season fixtures.
