What would happen to Liverpool’s fixture list if they fail to make Champions League knockout stages and drop into Europa League?
Liverpool scraped through in last year’s Champions League group stages and needed a win in the final game to progress by goals scored.
Jurgen Klopp’s side went on to lift the trophy in June and they face another deciding clash to reach the knockout stages in this season’s competition.
Liverpool have a trip to Red Bull Salzburg on Tuesday, which is live on talkSPORT 2, and need at least a draw to progress.
Should they lose then they could find themselves forced into the Europa League as a third place finisher and would enter at the round of 32 stage.
Fellow Premier League clubs Manchester United and Wolves have already qualified, while Arsenal can secure their place on Thursday.
If the worst happens and they do end up in the Europa League it would mean plenty more fixture changes on the horizon and even more games.
The Reds boss has already complained about the volume of matches his side have played this season.
“We cannot carry on like this,” Klopp said in November. “We have to sit down at the table and at one point find solutions. The solutions so far are more problems.”
Klopp’s side are in the middle of a tough period of games that will see them play eight games between now and January 5.
This includes matches in the Carabao Cup and FIFA Club World Cup on consecutive days in different continents.
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- Red Bull Salzburg vs Liverpool (Tuesday, 5:55pm) – talkSPORT 2
- Leeds vs Hull (Tuesday, 7:45pm) – talkSPORT 2
- Dinamo Zagreb vs Man City (Wednesday, 5:55pm) – talkSPORT 2
- Derby vs Sheffield Wednesday (Wednesday, 7:45pm) – talkSPORT 2
- Bayern Munich vs Tottenham (Wednesday, 8pm) – talkSPORT
- Standard Liege vs Arsenal (Thursday, 5:55pm) – talkSPORT 2
- Charlton vs Hull (Friday, 7:45pm) – talkSPORT 2
- Liverpool vs Watford (Saturday, 12:30pm) – talkSPORT
- Birmingham vs West Brom (Saturday, 12:30pm) – talkSPORT 2
- Chelsea vs Bournemouth (Saturday, 3pm) – talkSPORT 2
- Southampton vs West Ham (Saturday, 5:30pm) – talkSPORT
Their Premier League clash with West Ham on December 21 will also have to be rescheduled for another time.
The first and second legs of the Europa League round of 32 will be played on February 20 and February 27 respectively.
This would mean likely changes to their Premier League games against West Ham at home on February 22 and at Watford on February 29.
Liverpool fixtures:
10 December: Red Bull Salzburg (Champions League)
14 December: Watford (Premier League)
17 December: Aston Villa (Carabao Cup)
18 December: TBC (Club World Cup)
21 December: TBC (Club World Cup)
21 December: West Ham – POSTPONED (Premier League)
26 December: Leicester (Premier League)
29 December: Wolves (Premier League)
2 January: Sheffield United (Premier League)
5 January: Everton (FA Cup)
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If they were then to progress all the way to the final, it would mean at least an extra two games a month until the end of the season.
The Champions League knockout stages are more spread out as it starts with just 16 teams rather than 32.