Mikel Arteta has called on more protection for Premier League players to avoid a drop-off in quality.
The Arsenal manager is just the latest figure to speak out about the hectic nature of English football's calendar.
Premier League sides were afforded a two-week winter break for the first time ever this season, but Arteta believes more still needs to be done.
Something has to be done because you can see players are cracking and cracking every season,” he said ahead of his side's FA Cup fifth-round clash with Portsmouth on Monday.
“You can sustain that for one season, two seasons, but after three or four seasons you end up paying the price and I think the quality at some stage will drop. But we have a history, a massive culture, here with the cup games and to go against that is difficult.
“I think there are a lot of ways around it. We’re not going to please everyone with the decisions that have to be made. What is for sure is that, for players, it’s an enormous amount of games.
“The intensity is raising every single year, the level of pressure too, and sometimes it’s too much for them.
“If there is no change, we have to be allowed to have 26 or 28 squad players, which we are not allowed to do, and even more players on the bench.
“It’s very condensed and if any event happens that is not considered, like for example the coronavirus, then it will be even more complicated."
Arsenal suffered elimination from the Europa League at the hands of Olympiacos on Thursday.
They are not in action in the Premier League this weekend due to Manchester City's participation in the League Cup final.
The Gunners return to top-flight action against West Ham on Saturday.
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