Your Liverpool morning digest on Friday, January 7.
FA make Liverpool and Shrewsbury Town FA Cup 'decision' as youth team message sent
Liverpool have been told they must play their FA Cup match against Shrewsbury Town at Anfield on Sunday, according to reports.
The news comes a day after the EFL confirmed that Liverpool’s semi-final clash with Arsenal - originally scheduled for Thursday - had been postponed following a covid outbreak at the club.
Liverpool’s training ground has been closed since Tuesday after assistant boss Pep Lijnders, as well as other players and members of staff, returned suspected positive tests.
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However, despite the clash with Arsenal being moved, it has been claimed that all 20 Premier League clubs have been told by the FA that they must play their third round ties this weekend.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, the FA will not apply any experience criteria to young players, meaning that teams will be forced to field youth teams if required.
To read the full story, click here.
Steven Gerrard introduces new Aston Villa 'middleman' after Liverpool success
Steven Gerrard has made a Liverpool-inspired decision at Aston Villa as he continues to strive for excellence in his new role as a Premier League manager.
The former Reds midfielder has enjoyed a promising start to life in the West Midlands, having earned four wins in eight matches during his tenure so far.
It was announced that Gerrard had banned players from chocolate, fizzy drinks and tomato ketchup upon his arrival at the club, and has now introduced his latest change.
According to BirminghamLive, Villa have promoted Liam Bramley as the club's new elite development coach - a role believed to have been brought in by Gerrard.
Bramley, who guided Villa's under-18s to FA Youth Cup glory over Liverpool in May, will now be responsible for bridging the gap between the club's academy and first-team.
This is a position Gerrard is all too familiar with, having working closely with Pep Lijnders in the same capacity during his stint as the Reds' under-18s coach.
To read the full story, click here.
