Liverpool might forfeit Carabao cup for Club World Cup 2019: What does that mean for Arsenal? Can the Gunners take Liverpool’s place?
Liverpool and Arsenal produced a thriller on Wednesday night in their Carabao Cup encounter. Both teams made heavy changes to their playing XI and handed starting spots to their fringe players; Most of whom performed out of their skin to produce an absolute spectacle.
After finishing 5-5 on full time, Liverpool prevailed 5-4 on penalties to qualify for the quarterfinals. However, this victory has handed the Reds a nightmare fixture pileup who have responded by threatening to quit the competition if their quarter final fixture against Aston Villa cannot be appropriately scheduled.
Liverpool might forfeit Carabao cup for Club World Cup 2019
The Carabao Cup quarterfinals are set to take place in the week commencing December 18. However, Liverpool are also due to play in the semi-final of the Club World Cup semi-final scheduled for December 18th.
This has resulted in a very congested fixture heading into Christmas and beyond. Manager Jurgen Klopp is not happy in the least and made his feelings known in an interview after the match.
“If they don’t find an appropriate place for us, not 3am on Christmas Day, then we don’t play it,” declared the Liverpool boss.
“They have to make that decision. You have to think about these things.
“If you have a fixture list where one team cannot be part of all the games, then you have to think about the fixture list.
“Hopefully it starts now. I really think that’s fair, and this problem is obvious now. We will not be the victim of this problem.
“We play tonight, we wanted to win it, we did that, and if they don’t find a proper date for us, then we cannot play the next round and whoever is our opponent will go through.
“Or Arsenal play them.”
What does that mean for Arsenal?
It is the last line of Jurgen Klopp’s angry rant that has attracted the attention of Arsenal Fans who are hoping to see Arsenal in the running for the competition. Many have wondered if Arsenal can take Liverpool’s place should the Reds forfeit.
The answer to that question has however already been provided by the EFL in its rulebook. Rule 4.4 was written for situations that mirror Liverpool’s plight at the moment.
The rule reads:
“International and Representative matches and Football Association Cup Ties take precedence over matches in the Cup Competition. Any Club qualifying for a place in a UEFA club competition, up to a maximum of eight such Clubs, shall be exempt from participating in this Competition until Round Three.
“When the remaining number of Clubs entered is other than sixty-four the Management Committee shall arrange for byes where necessary. No Club shall have a bye in successive rounds of the Competition.”
Unfortunately for Arsenal, this means that their cup run is truly over and cannot be revived under any circumstance. A Liverpool forfeit will see Aston Villa progressing to the Semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
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