The fixtures for the 2019-20 Premier League season are announced today, with that forthcoming campaign containing a winter break for the first time.

The annual two-week winter break - agreed by the FA, Premier League and EFL - will occur from February (following the completion of match day 26) in a move the FA hopes will improve England’s fortunes at major tournaments

The break will be staggered to ensure that Premier League fixtures will still be played on both weekends of the fortnight, with each featuring five matches.

The top-flight’s relentless schedule, particularly over the Christmas and New Year period, is popular with supporters and broadcasters but it has been blamed for England’s failures at World Cups and European Championships.

The 10-day hiatus brings the Premier League into line with Europe’s other leading leagues like Germany, Italy and Spain and the evidence suggests that it will benefit players both mentally and physically.

Spain and Germany have enjoyed huge international success recently, while a Uefa study published in 2013 indicated that a player is four times more likely to be injured in the final three months of the Premier League season than over the same period in other European leagues.

The governing body has agreed to move the FA Cup fifth-round matches to mid-week, while replays from the fifth-round onwards will be scrapped and replaced with extra time and penalties.

FA Cup third-round replays, often a source of much-needed income for lesser clubs, will be safeguarded.

In Pictures: Premier League 2019-20 fixtures in full 21 show all In Pictures: Premier League 2019-20 fixtures in full 1/21 The fixtures for the 2019-20 Premier League season have been released. Here they are, in full, club by club. Getty Images 2/21 Arsenal 3/21 Aston Villa 4/21 Brighton 5/21 Bournemouth 6/21 Burnley 7/21 Chelsea 8/21 Crystal Palace 9/21 Everton 10/21 Leicester City 11/21 Liverpool 12/21 Manchester City 13/21 Manchester United 14/21 Newcastle United 15/21 Norwich City 16/21 Sheffield United 17/21 Southampton 18/21 Tottenham 19/21 Watford 20/21 Wolves 21/21 West Ham 1/21 The fixtures for the 2019-20 Premier League season have been released. Here they are, in full, club by club. Getty Images 2/21 Arsenal 3/21 Aston Villa 4/21 Brighton 5/21 Bournemouth 6/21 Burnley 7/21 Chelsea 8/21 Crystal Palace 9/21 Everton 10/21 Leicester City 11/21 Liverpool 12/21 Manchester City 13/21 Manchester United 14/21 Newcastle United 15/21 Norwich City 16/21 Sheffield United 17/21 Southampton 18/21 Tottenham 19/21 Watford 20/21 Wolves 21/21 West Ham

All three divisions within the EFL will remain unchanged, with a full Football League programme taking place on each of the weekends during the break.