Newcastle United might have just received a major boost ahead of their Carabao Cup final showdown – thanks to Liverpool’s demanding fixture schedule in the lead-up to the big game.
Arne Slot’s men are facing a brutal test of stamina and squad depth, with a crucial Champions League tie just days before they meet Eddie Howe’s side at Wembley.
While Newcastle will have a full week to prepare after their Premier League match against West Ham on Monday, March 10. But Liverpool have a congested fixture list to contend with.
]The Anfield club have been drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League, with the second leg set for March 11 or 12, which is merely just days before the Carabao Cup final on March 16, as NUFCBlog has suggested.
Even though Liverpool crashed out of the FA Cup at the hands of Plymouth, they still have five matches to navigate before the final. This is in comparison to Newcastle’s four.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool goes into a crucial run-in without breathing space
Speaking after the defeat to Plymouth, Arne Slot admitted that the fixture pile-up has been hard-going on his players. He said: “They trained yesterday and they will train tomorrow again. Most of the things we do, we do for a reason – we just don’t do it all of a sudden, something.
“The Aston Villa game comes during the week again as well. The last few weeks we have played every single week two times. The upcoming weeks we have to play every single time two games.”
Liverpool have a trip to Manchester City this Sunday, followed by a clash with Newcastle at Anfield in the Premier League, then a home match against Southampton sandwiched between their two-legged battle with Ligue 1 champions PSG.
Meanwhile, Newcastle’s upcoming fixtures include Nottingham Forest this Sunday, followed by the game against Liverpool – before an FA Cup tie against Brighton, and finally, the Monday night game at West Ham.
For Liverpool, key players are already dealing with setbacks, with attacker Cody Gakpo nursing an injury. Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold has only recently returned to action, while his deputy, the right-back Conor Bradley, limped off during their 2-2 draw at Aston Villa mid-week.
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