• Manchester United manager says players left exhausted • ‘It is not good for the clubs or for the national team’

The lack of a winter break in the Premier League leaves players exhausted at the end of the season and is partly to blame for England’s failure on the international stage, Louis van Gaal has said.

“There is no winter break and I think that is the most evil thing of this culture. It is not good for English football,” the Manchester United manager said.

“It is not good for the clubs or the national team. England haven’t won anything for how many years? Because all the players are exhausted at the end of the season.”

While several other top European leagues shut down for the winter, English football has a packed schedule during the festive period.

Van Gaal said the intensity of the top flight made a break even more necessary for the Premier League, which could lose its fourth Champions League qualifying spot to Serie A in 2017-18 due to a lack of recent success.

“The Premier League is the most difficult league to win because of the high level of the teams. You cannot beat any team easily,” said the Dutchman. “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.”