Jürgen Klopp has explained why the Liverpool squad were afforded a break between the Anfield victories over Everton and Manchester City this month.

The FA Cup Merseyside derby was the Reds’ 10th competitive fixture in 34 days as a gruelling festive schedule provided a stern test of the team’s fitness throughout December and into the New Year.

Klopp’s men emerged from the run with their unbeaten record intact – and followed up their short spell away with a thrilling 4-3 win against Premier League leaders City last weekend.

With so many games in their legs, the manager knew the time was right for the players to relax and rejuvenate before the intensity continues in the second half of the season.

“For us, it was always clear: the first moment we had the opportunity to give the boys a few days somewhere else, we would do it immediately. You have to do it after the unbelievably intense period,” said the German.

“In the last two years we couldn’t do it, we were always in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup. This year, there is nothing good to say about going out of the Carabao Cup other than you don’t have to play two games in a moment when everybody is pretty much on the edge.

“Using that time was clear, but will it make a difference? If you do the four days right and everything else wrong, then it will make no difference. I think it was right.

“Now we had [a kind of] pre-season. We had two weeks with six or seven training sessions, which is very important. We can remind ourselves and give information for different games. With City it was really important that we could train before the game, and now we can prepare for Swansea, which is important.

“I was pleased to give the boys these few days.”