Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Liverpool this week could be postponed because of a covid outbreak in the Reds’ camp.
Liverpool was without their manager, Jurgen Klopp and some key players for their last match against Chelsea.
Klopp, Alisson Becker and Roberto Firmino are expected to miss the match against the Gunners if it goes ahead.
But they have also lost Sadio Mane, Naby Keita and Mohamed Salah who are now with their countries for the AFCON.
These further absentees have left Liverpool short of options to field in the game, and The Daily Mail says the game could be called off.
The competition is governed by the EFL and their rules state a club needs to have 13 players and a goalkeeper to fulfil their fixture.
It remains unclear if the Reds would meet those criteria, but the game risks being called off as things stand.
Just Arsenal Opinion
Most clubs already have too many fixtures that have been postponed because of the recent increase in covid cases.
We need to get these Carabao Cup games played and sorted out as soon as possible.
The FA Cup will soon start for the top clubs and it would add more fixtures to an already congested calendar.
Arsenal will feel they have the upper hand for this fixture and would hope the match isn’t called off.
the match is already off……by the way I just saw aubameyang scored for Gabon in a friendly game
Just checked Arse.com, BBC and Sky, it’s not off…….yet!
Premier League teams have first team squads of 25 players to draw from PLUS loads more under 21 players on their books.
The scousers are running scared imho.
This is absolutely crazy. Why should the authorities agree to the Pools request to call off the match. So many teams are facing covid problems but are fielding their second string teams and playing their academy players. Liverpool and Klopp are scared of loosing and are trying to manipulate. They want Salah and Mane to return from AFCON before playing us. Hope the match is not called off and we smash them for these unsporting attitude and manipulative tactics.
Like it or not but Klopp does have a lot of pull.just the other day against Chelsea,he had a rant and managed to have the VAR official changed,only few minutes before kickoff because he disliked the guy.
Because of what we did against City.. Every clubs including Liverpool now must think twice..
Moreover Pool don’t have a solid second team, like us..
Without their 6-7 first team, Pool can’t compete us at all, for sure.. with or without Covid.. hehehe..
Although win from second team will be less meaning, but I am agree with you, that there’s still a lot of games to play.. And we had to many postpone game, it will make us more difficulty next..
They should play
Absolutely.
The other day lower league team had to play with 19 players injured and with covi d stop moaning let’s play
I seem to remember a couple of years ago Liverpool fielding an under 23 team in the cup as they were playing in the club world cup the same week. They didn’t seem to consider a domestic cup game important back then
Last year didnt they just play youth players in the League Cup, and Klopp didnt even turn up because it was a ‘winter break’
Pretty sure it was the year before against Villa. Think it was the semi in the league cup and Klopp didn’t turn up.