Liverpool Carabao Cup game with Arsenal in further doubt as Pep Lijnders tests positive for Covid | Football News

Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders has tested positive for Covid-19, plunging Thursday’s Carabao Cup game against Arsenal into further doubt.

Lijnders has been in interim charge of Liverpool while Jurgen Klopp is isolating and was due to host a news conference on Wednesday morning in the absence of the Liverpool manager.

That news conference was cancelled, with Liverpool confirming Lijnders had returned a positive test.

Liverpool formally requested to have Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Arsenal postponed after further cases of Covid-19 within the squad forced the cancellation of training on Tuesday.

A Liverpool statement on Wednesday said: “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.

“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.

“However, Lijnders also recorded a positive test late on Tuesday evening, meaning he has now also gone into isolation.

“The 38-year-old had taken interim charge of Liverpool for the weekend draw at Chelsea in the absence of Klopp and had been set to continue at the helm at Emirates Stadium on Thursday.

“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.

“As a result of the outbreak and the suspension of preparations, as well as other illnesses and injuries recorded within the squad, the club submitted an application to the EFL for the postponement of Thursday’s tie with Arsenal, with the news of Lijnders’ positive result coming after the request was lodged.

“The outcome of this application is still pending.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and three players – Alisson Becker, Roberto Firmino and Joel Matip – were forced to miss Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Chelsea after testing positive.

Liverpool were without a total of nine players for the match at Chelsea through illness and injury, and have subsequently lost Mohamed Salah, Naby Keita and Sadio Mane to Africa Cup of Nations duty.

The request for a postponement will also raise a question over Sunday’s FA Cup third-round tie at home to Shrewsbury.

The return leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final at Anfield is scheduled for January 13.

Which Premier League games have been called off?

Brighton vs Tottenham – Sunday, December 12

Brentford vs Man Utd – Tuesday, December 14

Burnley vs Watford – Wednesday, December 15

Leicester vs Tottenham – Thursday, December 16

Man Utd vs Brighton – Saturday, December 18

Southampton vs Brentford – Saturday, December 18

Watford vs Crystal Palace – Saturday, December 18

West Ham vs Norwich – Saturday, December 18

Aston Villa vs Burnley – Saturday, December 18

Everton vs Leicester – Sunday, December 19

Liverpool vs Leeds – Sunday, December 26

Wolves vs Watford – Sunday, December 26

Burnley vs Everton – Sunday, December 26

Leeds vs Aston Villa – Tuesday, December 28

Arsenal vs Wolves – Tuesday, December 28

Everton vs Newcastle – Thursday, December 30

Southampton vs Newcastle – Sunday, January 2

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