JUR JOKING
LIVERPOOL could field two DIFFERENT teams in separate countries in order to get around their crippling fixture logjam.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp last night threatened to pull his side out of the Carabao Cup after their amazing win over Arsenal at Anfield.
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Liverpool are due to play Aston Villa in the next round on the week commencing December 16.
However they also have Club World Cup commitments - as well as the Premier League and Champions League - to think about.
Liverpool are due to play their CWC semi-final in Qatar on December 18 with a final or third-place play-off three days later.
Klopp told reporters on Wednesday night: "If they can't find the proper date for us and I don't mean Christmas Day 3am... then we can't play the game. Our opponents will progress.
"We will not be the victims of this problem.
"Hopefully it starts now that they think about the fixtures.
"I think a lot of people from the Premier League were watching on TV hoping Arsenal do it. Sorry!"
The Daily Mail report that Liverpool have held talks over the possibility of fielding one team in Birmingham and another in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
Liverpool are in the Club World Cup after winning last season's Champions League.
Their gruelling run of fixtures, which is set to include trips to Salzburg, London, Bournemouth and Doha, would reportedly see them travel a minimum of 12,500 miles in two and a half months.
However, SunSport understands Klopp is set to be handed his Carabao Cup demand.
Klopp will get his way with the quarter-final trip to Aston Villa pushed back until the New Year.
EFL chiefs were locked in discussions with Liverpool BEFORE the German suggested he might pull out of the competition following the penalty shoot-out win over Arsenal.
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Footie League bosses are desperate to accede to Liverpool’s delay request, aware that a pull-out by the club would damage the integrity of a competition already under long-term threat.
The idea of allowing Liverpool to turn the tournament into a farce is unlikely to be accepted.
An EFL source said: “We’ve been in discussion with the club about this for a while and are confident we can sort it.”
Liverpool 5-5 Arsenal - Carabao Cup classic at Anfield as Liverpool beat the Gunners on penalties after a 5-5 draw