Arne Slot Slotpocalypse
© IMAGO - Arne Slot Slotpocalypse
As one of Europe's elite, Liverpool often have a ludicrously packed fixture schedule every year.
Playing in the Champions League, the Premier League, the EFL Cup and the FA Cup, it can often be hard to fit everything in, without risking player welfare.
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A number of players have already come down with significant injuries this season, including Harvey Elliott, Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota and Ibrahima Konate, to name a few.
Finding a starting XI that has the required fitness to play at their best is incredibly hard and Arne Slot will be frustrated at the thought of having yet another game on his plate, that couldn't be played through no fault of his own.
Of course, the Merseyside Derby had to be cancelled and postponed last weekend because of Storm Darragh's high winds that presented a safety risk to players and attendees at the game.
At the time, this looked as though it might be a blessing in disguise - Liverpool had a number of players missing through injury and the team had just come off the back of a tiring few weeks of relentless fixtures against top opposition.
However, as we now look to when the game at Goodison Park could actually be played, Liverpool might find themselves on the bitter end of a diplomatic judgment call.
Goodison Park
© IMAGO - Goodison Park
The PL won't upset UEFA
Leading the way in both the Premier League and the Champions League is a remarkable achievement for Arne Slot's side and the Dutchman will want to progress as far as he can to win both competitions.
However, Liverpool's match against Everton, that currently remains unscheduled, is set to be a serious thorn in the Reds' side moving forward.
The TV rights for the match were bought by TNT Sports, and they are the primary network that covers the Champions League in the UK, so they will not want to prioritise one of their products over the other.
In addition, the Premier League has a certain respect for UEFA, so no league games will take place during European competition, which takes place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Herein lies the problem.
Midweek slots DISAPPEAR
According to the Athletic, as a result of Liverpool finishing in the top eight of the Champions League 'league phase'; "February 11-12 and 18-19 (which are set aside for the Champions League knockout play-off round games) would represent the earliest chance to play."
Liverpool are not involved in the Champions League during those weeks, because they progress directly into the last 16 of the competition, therefore bypassing the 'knockout play-off round'.
But that would still represent a conflict of Liverpool playing a domestic game while the competition carries on in the background, which "is something that all parties try to avoid where possible".
However, they continue "with midweek Premier League games on February 26-27 and Champions League last-16 matches taking up the first two midweeks in March, available midweek slots begin to disappear."
As such, a straightforward move to reschedule the Derby on February 11-12 and 18-19, is much more complicated than you may think.
The higher you finish in the league phase, the ‘worse’ team you play in round of 16. If you win it, you get, in theory, an easier run to the final, including not playing 2nd place until the final. pic.twitter.com/BcmbJxU628
— Ste Hoare (@stehoare) December 10, 2024
The solutions available to Liverpool
By no means does the club have the power to decide when it's playing, but the options are so few, that we thought we would lay them out for you.
Firstly, the Premier League may need to bite the bullet with UEFA and make a judgement call that would noticeably do Liverpool a favour, in allowing them to play during a Champions League round.
This would be a blow, given that the team has worked so hard to be able to leave both of those midweek spaces free to rest the squad, by qualifying directly into the Last 16, but it would be a compromise the club would likely jump at the chance of taking, should Liverpool be offered it.
Secondly, Liverpool could play when the EFL Cup semi-finals are set to take place on January 8 or February 5, although this is conditional on the Reds failing to beat Southampton in their quarter-final clash at St Mary's, so it is not a plausible option until we know the result of the game on December 18.
Thirdly, Liverpool could play during the FA Cup, on either February 8, March 1 or March 29, although this would also depend on Liverpool losing their third-round tie against Accrington Stanley on January 11. Again, this is not an option, unless Liverpool are knocked out, so a more concrete solution is required.
Finally, Liverpool currently have a spot in the midweek before the final matchday of the season, which the Premier League could utilise, although the ramifications are significant.
The Reds would face the prospect of a high-stakes game having even further permutations added onto it if Liverpool remain in a title race in the business end of the season.
And Liverpool are currently set for a difficult run-in anyway, facing Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal in three of the last five games of the season.
Whichever way the Premier League decides to proceed will be controversial. The Derby was rightly postponed for Storm Darragh and the situation we find ourselves in is through no fault of anyone but Mother Nature.
But the choice that is made in the end, could have incredibly dire consequences for Liverpool's season.
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