Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp to face ‘joke’ fixture scheduling issue once again

Liverpool are set to play two more games at 12:30pm on Saturday’s following an international break.

Jurgen Klopp branded the scheduling as a ‘joke’ in their recent build-up to their game against Wolves on September 16, with frustrations building up following six winless encounters last season in that specific slot.

Next up is Everton after the current break, as the Merseyside derby arrives at Saturday lunchtime - a year and a month on from the goalless draw at Goodison Park last season - and now it’s been confirmed by Paul Joyce of The Times that they will face Manchester City on November 25 at 12:30pm - instead of 15:00pm, making it two international breaks in a row where they play at that time.

Prior to the victory over Wolves, Klopp complained about the issue of scheduling at that specific time: “We have four international breaks by March and for two of them we already have the 12.30 kick-off (when Premier League action resumes),” said Klopp, referring to the fact that Liverpool will host Everton at the same time straight after the October break.

“If I say a word about it then the world says, ‘He’s moaning again’. This is a joke.”

And now, with the news confirmed for the Man City game at the Etihad following the next international break, it will only succeed in angering the German boss further. They also lost 4-1 there last season.

The next two early kick-offs will be their 13th and 14th early game following an international break since Klopp’s arrival in 2015. Since then, the closest team has been Tottenham with six games.

It’s also tough because the likes of four key players such as Alisson Becker, Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz all have to to fly back more than half-way across the world following these fixtures and they don’t usually arrive until early-Friday morning before the game.

Fans have reacted strongly to the potential change, one joked: “Only things certain in life are death, taxes, and liverpool getting the 12:30 KO after an international break.”

Big six clubs like the 12:30pm KO slot typically, as it allows them to broadcast at a good time for the Asian market, which is continually growing.

However, it is seen as a ‘bogey’ slot for teams, with that time slot often throwing up shock results, with Liverpool losing out to Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest last season in narrow defeats - but the prospect of facing City in that slot is as tough as it gets.