Covid: Liverpool Carabao Cup game with Arsenal postponed following rising positive cases

Pep Lijnders has tested positive for coronavirus. Credit: PA

Liverpool's Carabao Cup semi-final tie against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium has been postponed following a Covid outbreak at the club.

It follows the closure of the first-team training facility after rising coronavirus cases, with assistant Pep Lijnders the latest to test positive.

The club says the outbreak has left the team "without a sufficient number of players and staff to fulfil the contest as originally scheduled".

It is thought the Red's AXA training centre will be shut "for the next 48 hours at least".

The Reds formally requested the postponement of Thursday's Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg after training was cancelled on Tuesday due to a spike in cases.

The request has now been granted by the EFL - with the first leg of the tie to take place at Anfield on Thursday, 13 January.

In a statement the club said: "Our Carabao Cup semi-final, first-leg fixture with Arsenal on Thursday has been postponed."We would like to place on record our thanks to the EFL and Arsenal for their understanding, as well as supporters of both clubs, as we continue to navigate through this challenging period."

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

The request was submitted after the latest round of testing found more cases within the first-team bubble, days after manager Jurgen Klopp and three players were forced to miss Sunday's draw at Chelsea after testing positive.

Dutch coach Lijinders has been in interim charge of Liverpool while Klopp is isolating with Covid, and was due to host a news conference on Wednesday in the absence of the manager.

But, following the latest round of testing on Tuesday a significant number of positive cases were returned, including Lijnders, who was due to take charge of the Reds at Emirates Stadium.

Jurgen Klopp to miss Chelsea clash due to suspected positive Covid test

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.