Liverpool handed brutal fixture run after FA Cup clash with Man City confirmed
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Empire Of The Kop or go back to LFC Live.
Liverpool have been handed a difficult fixture sequence after confirmation of the club’s upcoming FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City.The Reds are currently preparing for a crucial run of matches in multiple competitions, and the latest scheduling update has only made the situation more challenging.On the club’s official website, Liverpool confirmed when the match against Pep Guardiola’s side will take place.Liverpoolfc.com announced: “Manchester City v Liverpool: FA Cup fixture details confirmed.“Fixture details have been confirmed for Liverpool’s Emirates FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City.“The last-eight tie at Etihad Stadium will be played on Saturday April 4, kick-off 12.45pm BST.“It will be shown live on TNT Sports in the UK.”While a cup clash between two of England’s strongest teams is always a major occasion, the timing now creates a potentially exhausting run for Arne Slot’s squad.Liverpool could face Man City and PSG away in daysThe international break arrives the weekend before the FA Cup tie, which means many Liverpool players will be returning from long trips with their national teams.That includes several South American internationals such as Alexis Mac Allister and Alisson Becker, who regularly travel across the Atlantic before returning to club duty.Immediately after that break, the Reds will travel to the Etihad Stadium for the quarter-final.However, the fixture pressure could become even greater depending on Liverpool’s Champions League progress.Slot’s team currently trail Galatasaray 1-0 after the first leg in Istanbul, but if we overturn that deficit at Anfield the quarter-final draw could produce another major challenge.Champions League progression could create brutal weekShould Liverpool advance, the next Champions League opponent will likely be either Paris Saint-Germain or Chelsea.PSG’s recent 5-2 victory over Chelsea makes the French champions the most probable opponent if the Reds reach the quarter-finals.That scenario would leave Liverpool facing a daunting schedule.Within the space of roughly five days, the club could potentially play Manchester City away in the FA Cup before travelling again to face PSG in the Champions League.Discipline will also be important if we reach that stage.Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones are currently walking a disciplinary tightrope in Europe and risk suspension if booked again before the quarter-finals.John Aldridge still believes Liverpool can turn the tie around against Galatasaray, writing on X: “Bring it on next week.”If the Reds do progress, the reward could be one of the toughest fixture runs of the season.