Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson says he is 'concerned' that players welfare is not a serious issue for many in the game.
The topic has come into focus - again - as the busy festive football schedule rolls around.
Henderson's Liverpool are particularly stretched this month, with nine games in the month of December alone.
The issue for many sides has been exacerbated by Covid cases emerging in their squad.
With the Premier League refusing to postpone games in certain instances, this has led to some clubs complain that they are being forced to use the same players repeatedly.
"I don't think people can appreciate how intense it is until you actually see it first hand," Henderson told the BBC.
"Football to us is everything and we want to be able to perform at the highest level every time we set foot on the pitch.
"And unfortunately, in this period it is difficult to do that.
"That has been like this for a few years now and it has been difficult but then, on top of that, you chuck in Covid and it becomes even harder and even worse.
"I am concerned that nobody really takes player welfare seriously.
"I think decisions get made - of course we want to play as footballers, we want to get out there and play - but I am worried about player welfare and I don't think anybody does take that seriously enough, especially in this period, when Covid is here."
"We will try to have conversations in the background and try to have some sort of influence going forward, but at the minute I don't feel the players get the respect they deserve in terms of having somebody being able to speak for them independently and having the power to say actually this isn't right for player welfare."
Liverpool take on Leicester in the Carabao Cup tonight.
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