Liverpool are considering becoming the first English team in history to field a side in two different competitions on the same day, as their progression in the Carabao Cup has caused significant scheduling problems.
The Reds progressed to the next round of the tournament on penalties, following an enthralling 5-5 draw with Arsenal, and are currently set to face Aston Villa in the quarter finals.
However, due to their involvement in the the FIFA World Club championships in December they will be unable to fulfil their tie against the Villans until January 8, when the first leg of the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup are scheduled.
BREAKING: @LFC and the English football league have discussed the possibility of Jurgen Klopp fielding 2 different teams, in 2 different competitions, in 2 different time zones on the same night to resolve the club’s fixture chaos. (Telegraph)
— Brian AH-KEE (@j05ta) October 31, 2019
Are the football league mad?勞類 pic.twitter.com/mpGYNkw78O
The Daily Telegraph have reported that one solution to this fixture congestion, that is currently being contemplated by Liverpool, is the possibility of fielding a side in each of these competitions on the same day.
In practice, this means that on December 17 one side would be in Qatar ready to fulfil the Reds' fixture in the FIFA World Club championship the following day, whilst another side would travel to Villa Park to fulfil the club's Carabao Cup commitments.
This plan would require Liverpool to have 36 players available to play in each game, whilst it is also unclear who would manage the team in Jurgen Klopp's absence.
Klopp has long been critical of the intense fixture scheduling that his side has been put through in recent seasons and he refused to dismiss the idea of pulling Liverpool out of the Carabao Cup if a sensible solution is not found.
"If they don't find a place for us [to play the game], an appropriate place, not 3am on Christmas Day, then we don't play it," the German said after his side's win over Arsenal, via the BBC.
Source : 90min