Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp still to decide where he will be during fixture pile-up next month

Jurgen Klopp hasn’t ruled out being in the dugout for Liverpool’s back-to-back games in the League Cup and Club World Cup next month.

Presented with a seemingly unworkable fixture list as a result of their participation in both competitions, the Reds have agreed to play two games in less than 24 hours starting on December 17.

Klopp is expected to stick with a youth-focused team in the Carabao Cup at Aston Villa, while a more senior side will travel to Qatar to begin their bid to become world champions.

With the two squads set to be separated by over 5,000 miles, it is unclear whether the German would be able to manage both.

Reports on Thursday suggested that U23s boss Neil Critchley is in line to take charge at Villa Park, but Klopp says a decision has not yet been reached.

He told Sky Sports: “I didn’t think a second about that and I don’t have to because [the games are] mid-December, we are [at] the beginning of November.

“We have until then I don’t know how many games and that is what I worry about.

“We will find a proper solution for everybody but, if I am there or not, I don’t think more people will watch the game or less people will watch the game.

“I will not play, for sure. From my point of view, I don’t know at the moment.”

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