A bad solution to a big, big mess. And, as much as Liverpool's subsequent statement claims to the contrary, one that serves the best interests of absolutely nobody.
Not the Carabao Cup, which has been instantly undermined and in danger of being treated as something of a joke.
Not Aston Villa, a mouthwatering quarter-final tie transforming into a freakish oddity.
And certainly not Liverpool, who now face the onerous task of preparing for two games in two different competitions less than 24 hours and thousands of miles apart.
A logistical nightmare, it is the price of Liverpool's ongoing success.
The decision to play the Carabao Cup quarter-final the night before December 18's FIFA Club World Cup semi-final in Qatar is frankly outrageous, a dismal dereliction of duty from the fixture planners.
Win lots of games? Tough luck. Want to win every trophy you enter? All the best.
There are so many questions.
Who takes charge of the Carabao Cup team? Should it be Academy coaches Neil Critchley and Barry Lewtas, given many of the players will be very familiar to them? Or is it a chance for assistant manager Pep Lijnders to step up?
Indeed, which players will be involved? Do Liverpool stick with the mix of squad players and youngsters in the Carabao Cup? Should they then fly them over for a possible final in Doha later in the week?
And what of the supporters who follow the club in every competitive match? What are they going to do?
These are conundrums Liverpool shouldn't have to answer.
It's pointless considering any other alternatives that were open to the Football League such as having both Carabao Cup semi-finals as a one-off game at a neutral venue, solving the situation at a stroke. Not for the governing body the sensible option.
The Reds have, of course, been here before.
In 2001, the fixture schedulers did them few favours as they progressed to three cup finals while challenging for Champions League qualification.
During the fortnight between the two legs of the UEFA Cup semi-final against Barcelona in April, Liverpool played four games – a Goodison derby, two Premier League matches against rivals for a top-three berth and an FA Cup semi-final.
It used to be commonplace over Christmas and Easter for teams to play games on consecutive days until that tradition was knocked on the head in the 1980s.
That shouldn't be happening in 2019. Not least when the games are being played in different continents.
Should we have expected anything else, though?
When Manchester United were put in a similar position to Liverpool regards the Club World Cup in 1999/2000, they made the gut-wrenching decision to withdraw from the FA Cup.
The authorities clearly haven't learned. And regardless of what happens with Liverpool during that ridiculous December week, there will be a fallout to this decision.
There simply has to be.
