Glenn Hoddle blasts decision to postpone Arsenal vs Liverpool semi-final

Glenn Hoddle has blasted the English Football League 's decision to postpone the League Cup semi-final first leg between Arsenal and Liverpool.

The match was called off on Wednesday morning after Jurgen Klopp 's side suffered a Covid-19 outbreak at their training ground and had as few as 10 players available for the trip to north London.

But critics, including Hoddle, believe the Reds should have still faced Arsenal but used academy players to supplement those available for the tie.

"The rules are there, the rules are there for everyone and I think that's what you've got to abide by," the former England manager said on talkSPORT.

"The fact the manager won't be there, he wasn't there against Chelsea, they didn't play particularly well first half but were 2-0 up.

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"I think if the rules are there and you haven't got the players to put out there then I think that's different, but I'm sure behind the scenes they'll be asked: 'Who is fit, who has got Covid, who is injured'? So I think the game's got to go ahead."

Ex- Manchester City right-back Danny Mills agreed with Hoddle, questioning why Klopp could not have played the Liverpool's Under-23 players, just as the German did when the senior Reds were away at the Club World Cup in 2020.

"You can only call a game off if you have so many cases of Covid," Mills explained. "You have a squad of under-23s that aren't included in that 25-man squad.

"Liverpool played them when they went off to play in the Club World Cup.

"So they have the players available, they've got Under-23s that can play, so tough, throw them in."

In addition to boss Klopp, No.2 Pep Lijnders has now retuned a positive test and been forced into isolation.

A statement from Anfield read: "The assistant manager had been due to handle pre-match media duties at the AXA Training Centre in place of Jurgen Klopp, who is continuing to isolate having tested positive for the virus last week.

"However, Lijnders recorded a positive test late on Tuesday evening, meaning he has now also gone into isolation.

"Lijnders' test result comes in addition to a number of suspected positive cases among players and football staff recorded earlier on Tuesday, which forced the cancellation of the day's scheduled training session.

"As a result of the outbreak and the suspension of preparations, as well as other illnesses and injuries recorded within the squad, the club submitted an application to the EFL for the postponement of Thursday's tie with Arsenal, with the news of Lijnders' positive result coming after the request was lodged.

"The outcome of this application is still pending."