Liverpool: Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is furious that his side will have to play a League Cup quarter-final away to Chelsea just 48 hours after facing Manchester City at home in the Premier League.
A rally by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has led police to advise that the cup game not be played on Wednesday November 30, so the fixture has been moved forward a day.
“It is disgraceful in this day and age that players are being asked to play a key Premier League game and then a League Cup quarter-final in London just 48 hours later,” Dalglish told the club’s official website.
“It's understandable with the Spurs v PAOK Salonika match and the TUC rally that the Met Police have said that our game cannot be played on the Wednesday. But it's surely the duty of the football authorities to think of other solutions which consider the welfare of the players and this clearly hasn't happened."
“Manchester City are in a similar position to us with their game at Arsenal and it's for them to argue their case, but it is my job to stand up for the interests of Liverpool Football Club. Here you have two clubs who have treated this competition with the utmost respect over the years and they are being treated like this."
“I'd be interested to know what the sponsors think of the situation and what it does for the reputation of the competition."
"It seems totally irresponsible as well that the quarter-finals are scheduled in the same week as Europa League games. If Stoke had beaten us in the last round and were through to face Chelsea then the tie gets rescheduled for another date - it's as simple as that. But when we ask the Football League to move our game to a later date, we're told it's impossible. Where's the logic in that?"
“What would have happened if all four of the English clubs playing in the Europa League had got through to the quarter-finals?"
“If the Football League want to devalue their own competition, that's up to them, but they shouldn't then be upset if people use these games to help in the development of young players."
“We've also got the situation that both ourselves and Manchester City were happy for the league game to be moved back to the Saturday so we both had proper time to prepare, but again we are told by the Premier League that this is not possible either for TV reasons and just to get on with it.”
Dalglish had a warning for Reds fans who might be thinking of buying a ticket for the Chelsea match.
“The one thing I will say to our fans is to think carefully before buying tickets for the League Cup game because we do not want them spending their money and then we decide there is no other option but to use only young players in the tie,” said the Scot.
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