Speculations as to whether the initially rescheduled Carabao Cup semifinal fixture would be held on the 20th of January 2022 have resurfaced.
READ ALSO – EFL Postpone Liverpool vs Arsenal Carabao Cup Game
Speculations as to whether the initially rescheduled Carabao Cup semifinal fixture between Arsenal and Liverpool would be held on the 20th of January 2022 have resurfaced because Arsenal is reportedly struggling with fielding the required number of players for the fixture.
The first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinals was initially postponed because Liverpool did not have enough players to field a team for the fixture. This was a result of the COVID-19 cases and injuries recorded in the team. The current situation in the Arsenal training camp can not be fully accessed as it is speculated that the North London team is still battling with losing players to injury, COVID-19, and the AFCON tournament.
Arsenal’s premier league fixture against Tottenham that was slated for Sunday, January 16, 2022, was postponed because the English side could not provide enough outfield players for the fixture. With Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Folarin Balogun out on loan and Granit Xhaka, red-carded in the first meeting in the Carabao Cup semifinals, the probability of Arsenal having 13 outfield players and a goalkeeper for the Carabao Cup fixture seems doubtful.
The English FA was met with criticism from the public for granting the match postponement to Arsenal even though they had only recorded one COVID-19 case before the kick-off of the team’s premier league fixture against Tottenham.
Leeds United fielded six under-21 players who had never played in the premier league in their victory against West Ham United on Sunday January 16th, 2022. This raises the question as to why Arsenal did not field their under-21 players as well.
Debates are still ongoing as to what grounds must postponement of a fixture be given to a club side by the FA, as it seems as though the lines as to what reasons must warrant a postponement remains blurred to date.
