COVID-HIT KOP FACE FIXTURE CHAOS

Arsenal semi put back and battle to get Shrews tie on

LIVERPOOL are facing a nightmare fixture pile-up after tonight’s Carabao Cup semi-final was postponed.

A widespread Covid outbreak forced the club’s Kirkby training ground to be closed and the first-leg against Arsenal to be put back a week. But Sunday’s FA Cup third-round tie with Shrewsbury is also now in doubt, with the Reds facing the prospect of being unable to fulfil the fixture unless several players get clear of the virus or injury in time. Liverpool had “multiple” members of their staff and team hit by the virus and a statement read: “Operations at the first-team training facilities have been suspended after the latest round of testing revealed multiple new suspected positives. “The decision was made after consultation with the relevant Public Health authority. The new cases are in addition to those recorded on Monday and Tuesday morning. “Among the multiple players and staff who tested positive in the latest round was Pepijn

Lijnders, resulting in the cancellation of the pre-Arsenal press conference this morning.”

It means the order of the semifinal legs has changed, with the first game now to be played at Anfield on January 13, with the return at the Emirates seven days later.

The League also confirmed there has been a rule change this season, allowing clubs to ask for a postponement if they can not field 14 first-team squad players.

Last season, Leyton Orient were forced to forfeit their Carabao Cup tie with Spurs after being unable to field a team due to Covid, but different EFL rules applied then.

Earlier this season, Rochdale received a bye to round two after Harrogate were unable to fulfil the fixture within the required time period.

But Liverpool have been given until the final on February 27 to complete both semi-final legs,

Sunday’s game, though, may come too soon for the depleted Anfield squad. They have less than 10 first team-squad players available at present, and with assistant boss Lijnders also isolating after the fresh outbreak, virtually no members of Klopp’s coaching staff are left to take the team.

It leaves them with four games potentially needing new dates, as the Premier League visit to Arsenal falls on the weekend of the EFL Cup final, plus the fixture against Leeds was also postponed due to Covid.