Lehmann backing winter break

Eriksson, who has insisted fatigue was a problem for his 2002 World Cup campaign, said: "I received a warm welcome by the Premier League chairmen and it was a pleasure to be part of such a positive discussion and decision."

A Premier League spokesman said: "We had a very positive meeting. Sven-Goran Eriksson presented a compelling case for a winter break being beneficial to all players and therefore helping team performances in the second half of the season, including that of the England team.

"As a result of this the clubs agreed in principle to the concept of a winter break and have charged the relevant executives from the Premier League, the Football Association and the Football League, with the task of developing a range of options as to what it would take to achieve such an outcome in an already congested calendar."

There is little prospect of the Premiership being reduced in size, while the Carling Cup still has enough support - and a European place - to continue and FA Cup replays remain set in stone. Finishing the season later might prove to be the chosen option.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp suggested clubs may use the break to set up glamour friendlies. He said: "You look at Southampton last week. They were out of the FA Cup and it was a chance for them to have a break and they fixed up a friendly with Bayern Munich.

"It was a fantastic crowd there and it was a good night. They could have had the break but decided to fit a game in and keep the players playing.

"It will be interesting to see how everybody uses the break. There will be lots of conflicting ways of using it, I'm sure."

Paul Scholes, who has just returned from a short trip to Dubai with Manchester United, is also in favour of the plan. He said: "It would be a success. Only time will tell between now and the end of the season if the break we took in Dubai last week will have helped us, but we hope it will.

"It was nice to get away for a few days. We came back a lot fresher than we have been."