Liverpool hold talks over using TWO DIFFERENT TEAMS in two different countries! Jurgen Klopp could field one XI in Doha and another in Birmingham to solve Carabao Cup fixture meltdown
- Liverpool beat Arsenal on penalties to progress to the Carabao Cup last eight
- The quarter-final against Aston Villa is scheduled for the week of December 16
- But Jurgen Klopp's side are scheduled to play in the Club World Cup that week
- It has presented a scheduling nightmare amid a busy December for the Reds
The prospect of Liverpool fielding two teams in two countries has been discussed in an attempt to ease the club's chronic fixture pile-up.
Liverpool reached the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in the most dramatic fashion on Wednesday night, beating Arsenal on penalties after a 5-5 draw, but their progress has created a considerable headache.
They have been drawn to face Aston Villa in the last eight but that fixture - set to be played on December 17 or 18 - clashes with Club World Cup in Qatar, which Liverpool are committed to appearing in after winning the Champions League in June.
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Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool's manager, made it clear on Wednesday night that his club would be prepared to forfeit their place in the Carabao Cup if the authorities did not come up with a sensible plan to help release the strain.
Liverpool face Villa on Saturday and that is the start of a run that will see them potentially play 19 times from the beginning of November to January 11, when they face Tottenham at the Tottenham Stadium.
Given they face trips to Salzburg, London (twice), Bournemouth and Doha, Liverpool will travel a minimum of 12,500 miles in that two-and-a-half month period.
The most likely scenario is that Liverpool will play Villa in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, January 8 - the night when the first leg of the semi-finals is due to be staged.
Sportsmail understands Villa will not be able to protest if the EFL, who run the Carabao Cup, decide that is what will happen.
However, if the EFL decide to stick to the original running order and play the week before Christmas then they have discussed the possibility of Liverpool fielding one team in Birmingham and another in Doha.
It would, inevitably, present a logistical nightmare for Liverpool. Klopp is committed to taking a full strength squad out to the Gulf and many of the young players who helped topple Arsenal would also be involved in the week-long trip.
But fielding an auxiliary XI against Villa remains an option if the EFL insist on their original schedule.
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