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Liverpool’s defeat on penalties in the Carabao Cup to Arsenal in October could be one of the best defeats in club history. I mean it, we could commend former Everton and Manchester City player and manager Mikel Arteta, whatever fate he is given now. It could be Adrián’s best contribution with the Liverpool shirt that it was a penalty shoot-out that he was not the hero in.
I’m far from omniscient in tone here. I know there will be many who would like nothing more than to see the club in the quarter-finals this week. If it really bothers you to face the City two hours before Christmas and sweat from injuries and fitness while squeezing last minute online shopping, I congratulate you fully.
And so, as Liverpool plan a visit to West Bromwich Albion on December 27 with eight days to prepare, another plot emerges early in the New Year, and it may have already been decided. Jürgen Klopp leads his team to Southampton on January 4, 2021, their next Premier League match won’t be until Manchester United on January 17. There is only a small distraction in between:
Aston Villa at the FA Cup on January 8.
That Friday night at Villa Park will tell us a lot about Klopp’s current thinking and his projection for this season in the physical sense. It has continuously voiced its concerns about the well-being of the players, so the opportunity to send its veteran players and staff to FA Cup week will be sumptuously tempting.
Of course, doing so would require a few factors beyond your control. The ever-changing COVID-19 situation means Britain could be fully anchored around this time. There is also the possibility of further interruptions in the accessories, which means that the games could be changed once more and thus further condense the period already described.
But if this can be worked out, then Liverpool could line up in a cup game at Villa Park for the second year in a row with a youth team and an under-23 coach to compete on their behalf. Barry Lewtas would now be in charge, and the likes of Leighton Clarkson and Herbie Kane would come to represent the most recognizable names.
There will be an inevitable reaction if this is the case. The media, the FA and the Premier League would likely oppose such a move. But Klopp, a fervent defender of winter holidays, is a man who does not shy away from decisions like this or submit to pressure from the organization. His team has been relentless in their determination to maintain their position at the top of the Premier League table.
The chance to indulge in a well-deserved break at the hands of England’s oldest cup competition may prove too good to turn down for the second year in a row.
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