Liverpool No.2 Pep Lijnders tests positive as Arsenal clash further in doubt

Liverpool's assistant manager Pep Lijnders has tested positive for Covid-19, throwing Thursday's Carabao Cup semi-final clash with Arsenal further into doubt.

The Reds' No.2 was due to fill in on the touchline for boss Jurgen Klopp, who is currently self-isolating due to contracting the virus.

A statement from Liverpool read: "Liverpool Football Club can confirm Pepijn Lijnders has returned a suspected positive test for COVID-19, further impacting the club's preparations for Thursday's Carabao Cup tie with Arsenal.

"As an additional consequence, this morning's scheduled press conference to preview the fixture has been cancelled.

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

Liverpool have already made a request to the EFL to postpone Thursday's match after sending their entire squad home on Tuesday and cancelling their arranged training session.

The statement added: "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."

A statement from the EFL on Tuesday read: "We will look to confirm the league's position as soon as possible once the circumstances have been fully reviewed."

Liverpool made the request after another Covid outbreak at their Kirkby training base, with 11 players already sidelined due to various reasons.

It is unclear how many more positive tests have been returned by Liverpool but EFL rules state competing teams should do everything they can to field a side with 14 registered players (including two goalkeepers).

Lijnders took charge of Liverpool's Premier League clash with Chelsea at the weekend, but duties would likely fall to fellow assistant coach Peter Krawietz should the game vs Arsenal still to go ahead as planned in Klopp's absence.

In addition to injuries and Covid, Liverpool are also without Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah. and Naby Keita, who have all jetted off to the Africa Cup of Nations with their respective countries.

Captain Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Virgil van Dijk have not long recovered from a bout of Covid after missing matches before Christmas.

Liverpool's next fixture after the trip to Arsenal is a home clash with League One Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup on Sunday.

They are then due to host Arsenal in the return leg of their semi-final at Anfield next Thursday before welcoming Brentford in the Premier League three days later.

Their Boxing Day meeting with Leeds United has already been postponed due to Covid, raising the prospect of a potential fixture pile-up in the weeks to come if further fixtures fall victim to their recent outbreak.