If Arsenal are to win the Carabao Cup they will have to do it the hard way, first beating Liverpool, then a London Derby with either Chelsea or Spurs.
It’s still to be confirmed if we are one or two games away from a trip to Wembley after the Premiership held a meeting on Monday.
Representives of the 20 clubs decided on a Zoom call that the Xmas schedule would go ahead despite 6 fixtures postponed last weekend due to COVID.
The consensus is that if teams can field 13 players, they are safe to play.
Yet, they could be asking the FA and EFL for a favour.
Struggling to find dates to rearrange the cancelled fixtures (a number that is expected to increase) the PL are asking for Cup replays and the two-legged League Cup semifinal to be discarded to make up some space in the calendar.
Jurgen Klopp told the BBC: “I think it would be better with one game absolutely, but obviously what I say is not too important,”
“If there are two games, then we will play two games. But it would be helpful if there was only one, true.
“If the draw has us at Arsenal, I’m fine with that – we play there and see who is better and go for it.”
The EFL are likely to say ‘no’, for the same reason the Prem and UEFA have rules for domestic football to not take place on the same night as a European tie …… money!
Why should the Football League pass up on the payday of two 2-legged semi-Finals to help out an organization who wouldn’t do the same if the roles were reversed?
From a selfish point of view, we have more chance of beating Liverpool in a one-off fixture, compared to a tie spread over 2 legs.
Jurgen Klopp might continue his policy of playing the youngsters in the cup, but could bring the big hitters back for Anfield if things don’t go well at the Emirates.
Regardless he won’t have Salah or Mane to call upon as they will be at the African Nations Cup.
If it’s decided the final 4 of the Cup will be decided by a one-off game, will that be held at our ground based on us being drawn first or will the tie be switched to a neutral venue?
The Gunners need luck to win silverware and if there’s a way, we can avoid a trip to Merseyside that can only help us.
Morally though clubs can’t have it both ways. They either think it’s safe to play or it’s not.
It can’t be a convenient excuse to reduce a fixture list.
Clubs seem to want the best of both worlds.
They want the revenue of playing lots over Xmas, but then want to complain about their players welfare.
They complain about no room in the calendar, but in the case of an Aston Villa or Spurs could play games in hand on Champions League or Europa League nights. But they won’t because UEFA are greedy and want all eyes on their product only.
They then have the nerve to say how the players’ welfare is a priority.
This the same governing body who punished Spurs for having COVID!
How many other workplaces would you get punished for getting the virus?
Would you rather face Liverpool in a straight knock out tie or over two legs?
Should Football even be going on while the UK are putting restrictions on other sectors?
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Dan Smith