Louis van Gaal believes Premier League schedule is 'evil' as Manchester United manager prepares for festive fixture overload

Van Gaal feels that the absence of a winter break is costing Premier League clubs in the Champions League as well as hampering the England national team

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal (Getty Images)

Louis van Gaal has joined the growing calls in England to introduce a winter beak after describing the Premier League schedule through the festive period as the “most evil thing of this culture”.

The Manchester United manager believes that England need to follow the rest of Europe and implement a break during the Christmas and New Year period. Spain, Italy, France and Germany all have three weeks off, but the Premier League crams in festive fixtures to make the most of the holidays.

The lack of a winter break has been used as a possible explanation for England’s dismal run at major international tournaments, where they have not reached a semi-final since Euro 1996.

Van Gaal supports this belief, and believes that the Premier League need to implement change if they want their clubs to challenge for top honours in Europe on a regular basis. United reached the final in 2010/11 while Chelsea went on to win the competition the following season, but since then only the Blues’s 2013/14 campaign has produced a semi-final appearance.

"There is no winter break and I think that is the most evil thing of this culture. It is not good for English football," Van Gaal said ahead of this weekend’s Manchester derby with rivals Manchester City.

England haven't won anything for how many years? Because all the players are exhausted at the end of the season

&#13; <p>Louis van Gaal, Manchester United manager</p>&#13;

"It is not good for the clubs or the national team. I think you should change it. England haven't won anything for how many years? Because all the players are exhausted at the end of the season."

Van Gaal did have an explanation for why European success has been hard to come by recently, with his belief that the fighting for the Premier League title takes too much out of clubs to compete in Europe as well.

"It is harder these days," Van Gaal added. "The Premier League is the most difficult league to win because of the high level of the teams. You cannot beat any team easily.

"Every team is a challenge. It is a rat race and then you have to play also in the Champions League. It is not so easy and that is why English teams over the last few years have not won the Champions League because of the difference in the leagues."

Van Gaal’s frustration comes out of the fact that United will play seven games between 12 December and 13 January. Over the festive period, the club will be expected to play three Premier League matches in nine days, and it is something that all clubs will go through as the top flight teams enter the third round of the FA Cup at the start of 2016.