Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel is preparing for the physical test which comes with a trip to Stoke.
The Potters’ tactics are not universally accepted in the English Premier League and the Reds centre-back feels they sometimes take things too far.
“The game against Stoke is not about the football it is about the fight and the tackles,” said the Slovakia international.
“The fighting in the box at throws, corners and free-kicks was always part of the game but it can be too much.
“What they do is sometimes too much but they are doing well this season, keeping clean sheets.
“We have to deal with it and that is the key for us as defenders, to fight against them and then our creative players can play our game and try to score goals.
“It is always difficult to play against them, especially away from home.”
Winger Stewart Downing hopes being given Christmas Day off will be just the boost the players need ahead of the trip to the Britannia Stadium on Wednesday night.
Unlike many clubs manager Brendan Rodgers did not make his players train on Christmas Day.
Downing said it was now up to the players to prove it was the right decision.
“I’ve had it before at Aston Villa and we won on Boxing Day and that worked,” he said.
“It is man-management. He has to trust his players. We know what’s right and what’s wrong and you have to be ready to play.
“Martin O’Neill did that at Villa, giving us days off, and this manager is trying to do the same.
“He puts trust in us and all we can do is repay him with a performance and a result. It works both ways.
“If we don’t turn up on Boxing Day he’s going to have something to say about it and we’ll have shot ourselves in the foot.
“If we win brilliant, if we don’t then next year we won’t be off.
“It’s a big game and we need to win.”