Liverpool are being hard done by in regards to the Premier League’s fixture scheduling.
The Reds are set for another 12.30 kick-off tomorrow, already their second of the campaign, with a third to follow next month.
Statistics show that Liverpool regularly play in the lunchtime slot after the international break far more than any of their rivals.
And speaking to that on TalkSPORT today, former England defender Martin Keown says he does feel some sympathy with Jurgen Klopp about the matter.
“Jurgen Klopp complaining that it’s another 12.30 game. Incidentally, I think he has a point in all of this,” says the pundit. “I think it’s something like 12 games they’ve played at 12.30 and the nearest club to them I think is Spurs with five after an international weekend.
“Why are they always picked upon to be the early kick-off game and in fact we’ll see it again in a month’s time when they play Man City. It’ll be the 13th early kick-off.
“I do feel when players from all corners of the Earth are coming back together to form ‘Team Liverpool’ or ‘Team Arsenal’ or whatever, it is a little bit tricky. I do have some sympathy there, if it doesn’t apply after European weeks, it shouldn’t be there after international weeks either. Why is it always Liverpool?”
We wouldn’t necessarily mind the schedulers insistence at putting Liverpool on so regularly at lunchtime. But the Reds have an awful record in such games.
We managed to break the hoodoo with a turnaround win at Wolves in September though, so hopefully another one is one the way tomorrow.
After that, as Keown mentions, Liverpool face Man City at the Etihad after the November international break. That one will be a real test.
Thankfully, City will likely have just as much of an issue as the Reds in that one. Virtually all of Pep Guardiola’s squad are internationals.
The same can’t be said of Everton, though. And if the Blues have hope of beating Liverpool tomorrow, then that is going to play a part.
Having had two weeks off to bask in their 3-0 win over Bournemouth, plenty of the Everton squad will be well rested ahead of visiting Anfield.
Their Liverpool counterparts on the other hand have been all over the world and back. This will be a worry until we see which version of the Reds turns up tomorrow.
