Liverpool enter talks with the EFL over finding a new date for their Carabao Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa... but Club World Cup means they have no free dates until AFTER the semi-finals are due to begin!
- Liverpool face a nightmare fixture pile-up after their Carabao Cup progress
- They defeated Arsenal on penalties after 5-5 draw to reach the quarter-finals
- But the scheduled date for their tie with Aston Villa clashes with Club World Cup
- Liverpool are set to participate in Qatar tournament as European champions
- There are no free dates in December to play the match at Villa Park
- Jurgen Klopp threatened to boycott the Carabao Cup if suitable date isn't found
Liverpool have entered talks with the EFL to find a suitable date to play their Carabao Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa amid a nightmare December fixture pile-up for the Reds.
The last-eight tie at Villa Park clashed with Liverpool's trip to Qatar to play in the FIFA Club World Cup and there isn't a free weekend or midweek in an already packed month.
Manager Jurgen Klopp has already expressed his dismay at the situation and even suggested the club may boycott the Carabao Cup if a suitable time can't be found.
Here's everything you need to know about the situation.
Jurgen Klopp celebrates Liverpool's progress to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals - but it has caused a headache in terms of fixture scheduling
So Liverpool's Carabao Cup progress has caused a real headache?
Yes. Liverpool beat Arsenal on penalties after a thrilling 5-5 draw at Anfield on Wednesday night to book their place in the quarter-finals.
The draw for the last eight, held on Thursday morning, has handed Liverpool an away tie at Aston Villa.
The fixture is scheduled to be played the week commending December 16.
Jurgen Klopp embraces Curtis Jones, who scored the winning penalty for Liverpool
So what's the problem?
Well, Liverpool are already committed to play in the FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar that week.
Because they won the Champions League last season, the Reds are one of the seven confederation champions due to participate in the annual tournament, which will this year be staged across three venues in Doha.
Liverpool won't enter the competition until the semi-final stage, scheduled for Wednesday December 18, and so will play a maximum of two matches in Qatar (the semi-final and either the final or third-place play-off).
The final and third-place play-off are both scheduled for Saturday December 21.
Liverpool are set to play in the FIFA Club World Cup, won last year by Real Madrid
So, as you can see, Liverpool's Carabao Cup tie at Villa clashes with their Club World Cup engagements.
They have already been forced to reschedule a Premier League game against West Ham which was to be played on December 20. An alternative date hasn't yet been found.
Surely the answer is to move the Carabao Cup tie then?
If only it were that simple. Liverpool are double-booked during one of the busiest times of the season and a glance at their fixture list shows you just how packed December is.
It begins with a Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield on Wednesday December 4 as part of a midweek round of Premier League fixtures.
They make the trip to Bournemouth in the league on Saturday December 7 before travelling to Austria to play Red Bull Salzburg in their final Champions League group fixture on Tuesday December 10.
That weekend, it's a home Premier League fixture against Watford on Saturday December 14 before the team fly out to Qatar.
Liverpool are set to play Red Bull Salzburg in their final Champions League group stage game
Once they return, it's Christmas and then the traditional Boxing Day fixture, a visit to Leicester City this year.
Because a weekend falls between Christmas and New Year, there's a home fixture with Wolves pencilled in for Sunday December 29.
And Liverpool begin their 2020 with a home game against Sheffield United on Thursday January 2 before playing in the third round of the FA Cup that weekend.
If they are able to squeeze in their Carabao Cup quarter-final - and win it - then the first leg of the semi-final will be played in the week commencing January 6.
So, as you can see, there isn't an obvious free weekend or midweek in which to play the Villa tie.
So what is going to happen?
Liverpool have already opened discussions with the EFL over an alternative date for the tie at Villa Park.
They may be forced to shoehorn the game in on, say, a Monday night such as the 16th before they head out to Qatar.
Or the Villa game could be played when the first leg of the semi-final has been scheduled, with the two legs of the victors' semi-final pushed back.
For example, Villa vs Liverpool could be played on January 7, a round behind the semi-final taking place the following night.
The first leg for whoever progresses could be played on January 28 and the second leg on February 11, leaving ample time before the Carabao Cup final on March 1.
Curtis Jones was mobbed by his team-mates after slotting the winning penalty on Wednesday
The youthful Liverpool team ran from the halfway line to celebrate after seeing Jones score
What does Klopp think about it?
The German isn't too impressed by the situation, it's fair to say, and even threatened to boycott the Carabao Cup if the rescheduling didn't suit his team.
He said after the Arsenal win: 'I'm not concerned - somebody else has to be concerned because we didn't make the fixture list, we didn't make the schedule.
'I've said it already, FIFA told us the Club World Cup will be there and we have to come there. We will do.
'The Premier League tells us we have to play in the Premier League, which we do obviously.
'The Carabao Cup, what we did against Arsenal, if they don't find an appropriate place for us - not 3am on Christmas Day - then we don't play it. They have to make that decision.
Klopp wasn't best pleased about the situation and threatened to boycott the Carabao Cup
'You have to think about these things. If you have a fixture list where one team cannot be part of all the games, then you have to think about the fixture list.
'Hopefully it starts now. I really think that's fair and this problem is obvious now.
'If they don't find a proper date for us, then we cannot play the next round and whoever is our opponent will go through. Or Arsenal play them.'
Most watched Sport videos
- Giants fans burn quarterback Daniel Jones' jersey after loss
- John Hunt makes a poignant return to the commentary box at Brighton
- Awkward moment footy great can't pronounce NRL player's name
- Jason Kelce bares all with ex-Eagles teammate in revealing beer ad
- Johnny Gaudreau's wife Meredith announces she is pregnant
- Moment Miami Dolphin's Tyreek Hill is arrested by police
- Las Vegas Raiders fan body slams a woman during brawl
- Shocking bodycam of Tyreek Hill arrest released by Miami-Dade PD
- Tyreek Hill speeds by police before cops aggressively pull him over
- Montenegro fans create distraction from football with fireworks
- Ireland fans mock Queen's death aiming chants at England fans
- Woman exposes NRL boyfriend for leaving her for another