Premier League players love a holiday, so what did they get up to during the division’s mid-season winter break?
In an effort to reduce the effects of fatigue after a busy Christmas schedule and a gruelling return to cup competition, league games were staggered over two weekends in February. The league returns in full this weekend.
The break meant players like Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha could get away and spend some time in warmer climes.
The Palace maestro shared a picture of himself aboard a boat in shorts and a vest, simply captioned: “Boat day.”
Meanwhile, in something of a busman’s holiday Chelsea reserve goalkeeper Willy Caballero went to watch another sport – this time, basketball – in the US as LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers took to the court.
Posting to Instagram, the Blues stopper wrote: “No words can describe this feeling. The best player on the court the show is guaranteed @kingjames.”
Caballero’s team-mate Mason Mount preferred the company of animals on his break however, pictured in shorts and t-shirt feeding a pair of lemurs.
“When life throws you lemurs…” he wrote. Don’t go trying to make lemonade out of them now, Mason.
From a pair of lemurs to a pair of cool cats, Everton’s Tom Davies and Dominic Calvert-Lewin showed off their fashion goals during New York Fashion Week.
The pair reportedly attended a Michael Kors show, with Calvert-Lewin wearing a patterned blazer and baggy trousers combo, while Davies sported what can only be described as a dressing gown.
But while many footballers head for the sun whenever they get the chance, Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson showed there’s no place like home with a trip to St Andrews Links, otherwise known as the home of golf.
“Don’t worry, I know the Scottish sun is powerful at this time of year but I had factor 50 on,” he wrote next to a picture of himself on the course.
Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay used his time away from the pitch to help further the discussion around mental health, joining the Duke of Cambridge as he launched the Heads Up Weekends initiative.
The initiative uses football to start conversations on mental health, and the pair enjoyed a game of table football in the process alongside Andros Townsend, Fran Kirby and Tony Adams.
Others, such as Leicester City defender Caglar Soyuncu, simply spent time with their loved ones.
For the Fox, that meant sitting down for a quiet moment on a luxurious sofa with a beautiful dog.
Not content with such calm, Arsenal defender David Luiz took it upon himself to pick on the younger Gunners by interrupting their sleep on the team coach, waking them up by grabbing them on the nose.
Luiz honked the noses of Nicolas Pepe, Eddie Nketiah, Rob Holding and Bukayo Saka, but it’s fair to say Joe Willock took it the worst, knocking Luiz’s phone from his grasp.
But sometimes a ‘staycation’ can be just as relaxing as a trip abroad – something James Milner appears to believe.
The ever-present Liverpool man was pictured attending his side’s FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury, which was staffed by the under-23s in the first team’s absence.
“Outstanding performance from the boys, Critch and his staff & fantastic turn out from the fans,” he wrote on Instagram after the youth team’s 1-0 win.
Never change, James.
