With Manchester United not playing until Sunday, Ryan Giggs has welcomed the first Christmas Day off in his entire career.

Since the birth of his children, Libby in 2003 and Zach in 2006, Giggs has craved some time off to spend with his family and now he finally has the chance to do so.

“Until I had kids I never got excited about Christmas,” said Giggs. “You just can’t. You have to concentrate on playing on Boxing Day and you are always travelling on Christmas Day. That is one of the downsides about being a footballer. Once you have kids it is hard opening the presents, then going off to training, so, to have Christmas Day off for the first time in my career is definitely welcomed.”