‘Hi Steven, we need a big favour’: From calling on Gerrard to help out to joking about playing the mascots… Fans react to news Liverpool will field two teams in two competitions next month
- Liverpool will field two teams in two matches within 24 hours in December
- The Reds must play Carabao Cup and Club World Cup matches in the same week
- Fans have been tweeting that the Reds may be forced to use mascots as players
- One even suggested Jurgen Klopp call Steven Gerrard and ask him to play in one
Football fans have wasted no time in making light of the news Liverpool will field two different teams in both the Carabao Cup and Club World Cup next month.
It was announced on Tuesday that the Reds will field a team in both their Carabao Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa on December 17 and their Club World Cup semi-final in Qatar less than 24 hours later.
It means Jurgen Klopp’s squad will be stretched across the world and fans took to social media to joke about the situation and offer some potential solutions following the announcement.
Liverpool will field separate teams in both the Carabao Cup and Club World Cup in December
One Liverpool fan, @BrazilianBobby9, tweeted a picture of a set of young Liverpool mascots with the caption: ‘Leaked Liverpool team set to start against Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup on December 187th’.
A similar joke was cracked by @ZIYAAD_LFC, who tweeted a picture of a Liverpool academy team and said: ‘Hope these lads smash Villa’.
It remains to be seen which members of Liverpool’s squad will make up both teams and whether or not they’ll be able to field two separate teams if an injury crisis occurs.
One account, @Odds_Watch joked Klopp may have to delve into his contacts book to bring a legend back to the club.
The account tweeted a picture of Klopp looking into his mobile phone, writing: ‘Hi Steven, look I know you’re up at #RangersFC but do you still have your old boots? We need a big favour…’.
One fan even put themselves out there as a possible addition to Klopp’s squad for the congested week next month.
@thedogman09 wrote: ‘I volunteer as tribute for the Carabao Cup… 6 foot 4″, Center forward, fantastic Ariel ability, 1 time winner of the North Riding Cup. Once described by a previous manager as a “Gazelle” in the box.’
The club’s chronic fixture pile up has been eased by a remarkable arrangement of playing two games in two continents on two consecutive nights.
The Carabao Cup quarter-final with Aston Villa, which had been tentatively suggested would be played on January 8 2020, will now be played the same midweek as the three other last-eight ties.
But it is almost certain that the team that goes to Birmingham will be mainly youth players, as the first team will be in Doha for the Club World Cup. Former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher confirmed on Tuesday that he had been asked to assist Alex Inglethorpe at Villa Park for tie against Villa.