Liverpool have confirmed their participation in the Club World Cup in December, with their place in the tournament in Qatar forcing a Premier League reshuffle.
The Reds were invited to the Club World Cup after winning the Champions League in June, but until Wednesday there had been no official confirmation they would attend.
But the club have announced they will take part in the tournament, entering at the semi-final stage of December 18, with the final and third-placed playoff held on December 21.
That clashed with the trip to West Ham in the league, and as widely expected, that fixture has now been postponed, pending a reschedule.
Liverpool are now set to play eight times in December, and their visit to the London Stadium could possibly be moved to either January or February.
The Reds currently have a six-day gap between their meetings with Tottenham (Jan 11) and Man United (Jan 18) at the start of next year, and this could feasibly see them head to east London between those two high-profile games.
It is certainly not an ideal situation for Jurgen Klopp‘s side, particularly given the extensive travel required during one of the busiest periods of the season.
They are set to head to Leicester on Boxing Day, just five days after the Club World Cup final, with a tight turnaround needed over the Christmas period—a time when many of the players may be away from their young families.
It had been suggested that Liverpool were exploring the prospect of sending a weakened squad to Qatar, which could include youth players and fringe figures.
But there is no indication at this stage whether that is possible or, in fact, will be the case.
Liverpool, FIFA and the Premier League are set to confirm further details on the Club World Cup and the West Ham fixture in the coming days.
