Why does Klopp want Liverpool out of the Carabao Cup?

Liverpool beat Arsenal on penalties on Wednesday night. [Courtesy]

Liverpool debate playing two teams in two competitions on same day  fixture

Liverpool have begun discussions with the English Football League over the possibility of playing two games in two competitions on two different continents on the same day.

The Reds made it through to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, beating Arsenal on penalties after a crazy 5-5 draw .

They have been drawn to face Aston Villa away in the quarter-finals, which are scheduled to take place on December 17 and 18.

But with Liverpool in Qatar for the Club World Cup that week - with their semi-final scheduled for December 18 in Doha - the Reds have been faced with a chaotic fixture schedule.

The Reds could split their squad for the two matches. [Courtesy]

The most likely solution is that the quarter-final trip to Villa Park will be moved to January 8, the week that the first leg of the semi-finals are scheduled.

Providing the winner isn't involved in an FA Cup third round replay, then the calendar could then open up for them to fit in both legs of their Carabao Cup semi-final prior to the Wembley final on March 1. But during discussions the possibility of the quarter-final tie sticking to its original date has been mooted.

With Liverpool obligated to head to Qatar by FIFA, that could raise the historic possibility of two Reds teams playing senior competitive matches on the same day.

Liverpool will have to name a 23-man squad for the Club World Cup which includes three goalkeepers.

However they could opt to leave members of that group behind for the Aston Villa tie, and play their semi-final against Al-Sadd, Hienghene Sport or Monterrey with a reduced squad, with the remaining players joining up after the Villa game to play in the Club World Cup final or third-place playoff.

In such a scenario they would also have to spilt up their coaching staff, with one or both of Jurgen Klopp's assistants Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz perhaps staying with the Carabao Cup side. Klopp made 11 changes for the victory over Arsenal, but the majority of the starting XI could expect to be named in a senior 23-man squad, meaning that even more youngsters would have to be called upon if the original Aston Villa date stands.

The move would also leave the Reds needing to split their coaching staff. [Courtesy]

The Liverpool boss did threaten to pull out of the competition after the victory over the Gunners, but that possibility is extremely unlikely and was largely put forward purely to put pressure on the EFL to help ease Liverpool's fixture congestion.