If Manchester United are going to be champions, Liverpool clash has to be the game they announce themselves as real contenders - TACKLE KEOWN

If it meant I would get Christmas Day at home then I would take it!

On Christmas Day, we would come in and train ahead of the Boxing Day game. If, by playing the day before, I was able to have Christmas morning opening presents with the kids then great.

Of course, it would not be a popular move for the fans as it breaks with tradition. For the players, it would be crazy if you then had to play on Boxing Day, too.

With so many fixtures over the Christmas period, the structure should be kept the same for every team. It would not be fair if, by playing on Christmas Eve, some teams got a longer rest than others.

I think we need to stop taking England fans for granted.

There is nothing inspirational in the performances and fans are becoming less interested in the national team.

I was reading about the dwindling viewing figures for England games on TV and how the team are becoming a turn-off.

Contrast that with Argentina earlier this week, where people were getting up in the middle of the night to watch Lionel Messi single-handedly drag his country to the World Cup.

Gareth Southgate has to come up with a game plan that makes the players believe they can be dangerous.

It’s all very well developing youngsters like Marcus Rashford but we have to get them playing in a way they enjoy for England.

England do struggle from the fact that, Harry Kane and Dele Alli aside, none of the players are key men for their clubs.

Look back at England teams only a few years ago and you’ll see Frank Lampard, John Terry and Ashley Cole - all key players for Chelsea. Steven Gerrard - the heartbeat of the Liverpool team. Wayne Rooney - the main man at Manchester United.

It is easier to step up to the international stage if you are the main main in your club side.

Rashford is becoming a key player at United now and Southgate must help him embrace a similar role with England.

These next two friendlies, against Germany and Brazil, are crucial. Put in exciting performances against those two sides and England can help to revive interest ahead of the World Cup.

We are lucky just to be there, when you think the likes of Chile and Holland haven’t qualified.

Imagine if we had been in Holland’s shoes, up against France and Sweden. Would we have qualified from that group?

There is something wrong with these qualifiers if Switzerland, who won nine of their 10 games, have to enter a play-off and could miss out on the World Cup.

England, likely to be in Pot 2 for the World Cup draw, could face the likes of Germany, Brazil and Portugal in their group.

But it would still be a disaster if England do not reach the round of 16. After that, it’s about learning quickly and developing.

That’s easy — Kanu’s hat-trick at Chelsea in October 1999 that saw us come back from 2-0 down to win 3-2. For any Arsenal fans at Stamford Bridge that day, it was magical.

Just watch that winning goal. Somehow, he beats the goalkeeper on the byline but instead of crossing to the players calling for it in the box, he curls the ball inches over the heads of Marcel Desailly and Frank Leboeuf — two World Cup-winning defenders — flailing on the goal-line. It was one of the most stunning performances I have ever seen.

I never thought Kanu got the credit he deserved. He sums up the strength in depth we had at Arsenal then.

If Jack Wilshere can guarantee his fitness, then of course he could be the way forward for England in midfield.

Until he proves that he can be available for three games a week, he cannot expect to get back into this Arsenal team.

The Europa League may be a blessing in disguise for Jack this year. Until his leg break, Wilshere showed last season that he could play once a week for Bournemouth.

The workload at Arsenal would have been different with huge Champions League games in midweek. Now Arsenal are in the Europa League, it may be easier for Jack to get regular games.

What he needs to do is show he can step up from playing in Europa League and League Cup games to the Premier League.

The problem is I cannot see how Aaron Ramsey and Wilshere can play in the same team. They are competing for the same place and I can only see Wenger playing Wilshere ahead of Granit Xhaka if he wants to have a really attacking midfield.

It is encouraging to hear Wenger say that he does not want to let Wilshere go.

He is one of the best English players to have been developed in recent years and it will be to England’s benefit at the World Cup if he can start playing regularly.

The message from Arsene Wenger to Alexis Sanchez today was: ‘Give me until January, and then you can go.’

Wenger is clearly anticipating that Sanchez will be very low when he returns from the international break.

Sanchez has been trying to leave for the last year or so, was unable to get his move on deadline day and now Chile have not qualified for the World Cup.

To finally hear that he can leave in a matter of months is the news that he will have been craving.

Now, Wenger will be expecting to see a brightness in Sanchez’s eye at training on Friday morning, not one of resignation.

Sanchez is a lion who wants to play football and I do not expect him to sulk.

It is more likely that Sanchez will play against Watford than Ozil. I would be surprised if Ozil features.

I find the suggestions that Ozil could now be staying at the club astonishing. Maybe there are not any takers who want to pay his wages?

What a tough question! I would love to have worked with both to see what makes them tick.

It would probably be more enjoyable under Klopp — he seems to enjoy every moment of his players’ careers.

Joe Gomez said recently that Klopp creates an emotional connection with his players. He seems to understand them very well.

But there is nothing more enjoyable than winning trophies... and Mourinho has won more than Klopp.

So in terms of winning silverware it would have to be Jose!

Kenny Dalglish is an ambassador of the club and I’m sure he wants to talk up the positive, attacking football that Liverpool are playing now.

But, make no mistake, the late goals, sloppiness and lazy defending will be driving Jurgen Klopp mad.

Arsene Wenger has not won a Premier League title since 2004. His Arsenal teams since have been committed to attacking but have not respected the defensive side of the game enough.

I’ve said it time and again — the team which strikes the best balance will win the title.

In their 1-0 win at Southampton, Manchester United showed they could grind out results. It may not always be attractive, but every player who has been part of a Premier League success knows they have to do it.

In a league where Liverpool can thrash Arsenal and then be well beaten themselves by Manchester City in consecutive matches, it is as if people only seem to take notice if you win big.

Jose Mourinho knows that the ability to win 1-0 is what will win you titles.

If United are going to be champions, this has to be the weekend they announce themselves as real contenders.

There are already similarities between this season and Jose Mourinho’s title-winning campaign with Chelsea in 2014-15.

Then, Chelsea had a relatively easy start which allowed the team to build up momentum and play with more freedom.

After Christmas, we started to see the hard-fought victories that are associated with Mourinho teams.

This season, the easier start has helped United really express themselves — but this team also knows how to grind out results.

Jose Mourinho does not play with abandon. He will have seen what Liverpool did to Arsenal and will know full well that they are capable of dishing out a hiding.

I can see Jose trying to shut the game down as he did at Anfield last season but the big difference now is that he has more pace on the break.

Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip were made to look pedestrian by Joselu before the international break when Newcastle played a ball over the top.

Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford have more gears than Joselu. When they are away you cannot catch them.

Mourinho’s strategy will be to hurt Liverpool on the counter-attack — but it will be more effective with Lukaku, not Zlatan Ibrahimovic, leading the line.

I can see Manchester United winning this 1-0. These are two titanic teams with great histories but United have the momentum in this rivalry right now.