Liverpool will be subject to Carabao Cup rule if EFL accept Arsenal postponement

Liverpool are likely to be given ample time to play their Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal if the EFL accept their request to postpone Thursday's first leg.

The Reds confirmed on Tuesday that they submitted a formal application to call off Thursday's trip to the Emirates Stadium amid a rise in Covid cases at the club, in addition to other injuries and unavailable players.

Nine members of the Reds squad were absent for Sunday's Premier League clash at Chelsea, including Alisson Becker, Joel Matip and Roberto Firmino who were all isolating after positive Covid cases, as was manager Jurgen Klopp.

There have been more positives among the club's players and staff since then, while Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita have all departed for the Africa Cup of Nations.

In a statement, the Reds said: "The club halted preparations at the AXA Training Centre, meaning Tuesday's first-team training session was cancelled.

"Among the considerations which led to today's application to the EFL is the need for travelling supporters to be given as much notice as possible of any potential postponement.

"With no prospect of the current situation improving ahead of Thursday's fixture and the potential for it to worsen, the club considers it both prudent and reasonable to ask for the fixture to be rescheduled."

The EFL have confirmed that they have received Liverpool's request, and will now consider their next steps.

A spokesperson said : "The League has this evening received a request from Liverpool FC to postpone Thursday's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg versus Arsenal FC which will now be considered in accordance with the competition rules as set out at the start of the season alongside information submitted by the Club.

"We will look to confirm the League's position as soon as possible once the circumstances have been fully reviewed."

Those rules state that while requests to postpone matches will be judged on a case by case basis, clubs asking to rearrange any fixtures will have to do so before the next round of the competition is scheduled.

The EFL website states: "For example the Second Round of the Competition is scheduled to take place on 24 August 2021, in the event that a First Round Competition Match was postponed, the rearranged a match must take place by 23 August 2021.

"In the event that the match cannot be rearranged for a suitable date before 23 August 2021 then the Management Committee will award a bye in accordance with Rule 5.1."

Rule 5.1 covers a club forfeiting a match should they not be able to complete it before the next round is scheduled, but Liverpool look as though they would be able to do that in the event of a postponement.

With the final scheduled for February 27, effectively the Gunners and the Reds would have until February 26 to fit in both legs.

There also remains the possibility that the semi-final be staged over one leg instead of two, although both clubs and the EFL would have to come to an agreement on that, especially as the other semi-final between Chelsea and Tottenham will be played over two games.

Leyton Orient were forced to forfeit their Carabao Cup third round tie against Tottenham in September 2020, but this was due to an order from the local health authority which led to the club being unable to play it before the fourth round was scheduled a week later.