Liverpool were expected to have a free midweek to prepare for their trip to Man City this month, but that will not be the case if they qualify for the Carabao Cup final.
Arne Slot‘s Reds head to the Etihad on Sunday, February 23 for an important Premier League clash.
Even if Pep Guardiola’s side have been off the boil this season, Liverpool have not won in the league at their ground since 2015 and three points will be crucial in the title race.
As Liverpool had bypassed the Champions League play-off rounds, played on the midweeks of February 11/12 and 18/19, they were set for valuable time off during the week.
However, the postponed Merseyside derby is to be played on February 12 and if Liverpool overturn the 1-0 deficit against Tottenham to qualify for the Carabao Cup final, they will also play on the 19th.
This is because it would require the league trip to Aston Villa to be rescheduled from the weekend of the cup final (March 15/16), with it announced that it would instead move back to February 19 (7.30pm).
Reach Carabao Cup final: Villa (A) moves to Feb 19, 7.30pm
Don’t reach Carabao Cup final: Villa (A) on Mar 15, 12.30pm*
* Kickoff will be pushed back if Villa play away in Champions League on March 12
The Villa Park fixture is currently scheduled for 12.30pm on Saturday, March 15, should the Reds fail to make the final, but that kickoff time could still change if Villa are drawn away in the Champions League the preceding Wednesday.
The reward, therefore, for progressing to the last 16 of the Champions League and the Carabao Cup final would be to play in the two free midweeks that were originally to be valuable breaks.
The price of success is steep!
Man City, however, will not stand to benefit as they were drawn to play Real Madrid in the Champions League play-off round, with their second leg on Wednesday, February 19 at the Bernabeu.
Liverpool’s visit in the league comes just four days later, with kick off at 4.30pm on Sunday, February 23 – it means preparation time would be the same.
All of this, however, hinges on Slot’s men overturning the 1-0 deficit to Tottenham in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final at Anfield on Thursday.
