LIVERPOOL’S BID TO avoid playing two matches in under 46 hours over the festive period has fallen on deaf ears after the Premier League rejected a request to reschedule their visit to Sunderland.
Jurgen Klopp’s side welcome Manchester City to Anfield on New Year’s Eve at 5.30pm — a game which will be shown live on BT Sport — and will then travel to face Sunderland on 2 January at 3pm.
The Liverpool boss had previously expressed his frustration at the scheduling which will leave him with just 45 and a half hours to prepare his squad after a potential top-of-the-table clash against City.
Liverpool had asked the Premier League to push their visit to the Stadium of Light back to a 5.30pm kick-off, but the league rejected the request saying that it would set a dangerous precedent if they showed favouritism to one club.
Speaking at the time, Klopp said: “48 hours is an interesting idea but less than 48 hours I cannot believe.
“48 hours between two games – how does this work? How do you prepare a team for this? Do you say ‘only 50 per cent against City because we have Sunderland on Monday.”
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