Leicester City have to be at their best against Liverpool, says Jamie Vardy

Jamie Vardy has rubbished any doubts about Liverpool’s fitness ahead of their Boxing Day clash against Leicester City and has urged the hosts to be completely ready.

The Reds have had to take an excruciating 6,500-mile round trip to Qatar for the FIFA Club World Cup, and it is being cited as a genuine reason as to why Jurgen Klopp’s side might not turn up at the King Power Stadium in the manner we have come to expect of them.

Vardy, however, does not think so at all and has asked the Foxes to be at their absolute best if they are get a positive result in this top-of-the-table encounter.

Speaking to the club’s official website, he said:

"“I don’t think that comes into it at all.“Every professional footballer is obviously prepared to play games no matter where they are.“They’ve been on a plane, and I’m sure the recovery would have been done on the plane, so they’ll be fresh and ready to go. We know we have to be at our best.”"

If there is one thing that we can be certain of about Klopp’s Liverpool, then it is that no matter what, they will always be up for it. The level they are at, it is not all down to their football. It is also down to the mental resilience they possess.

There is a reason why they are known as the “Mentality Monsters”. All great teams – the current Liverpool included – do not tend to be affected by a fixture congestion. They might be fatigued, yes, but mentally, they are always prepared so that reflects on the field, too.

That is how the Anfield side are unbeaten in the Premier League this season – and have been for 34 games. When they come to the KP tomorrow, the club World Champions could be anything but tired.