The English Football League has no plans to scrap two-legged Carabao Cup semi-finals following the decision for Liverpool to play their quarter-final less than 24 hours before their opening match at the Club World Cup.

The European champions’ decision to go ahead and play their Carabao Cup tie with Aston Villa on the original date of December 17 prompted manager Jurgen Klopp to criticise its home-and-away format at the last-four stage.

The EFL resisted calls for single-match semis when talks were held with the Football Association and Premier League about introducing a winter break, instead agreeing to scrap extra-time in the competition.

That winter break has compounded the fixture logjam facing Liverpool following their extraordinary fourth-round comeback against Arsenal last week, with their December 18 Club World Cup semi-final scheduled for the same midweek as the EFL Cup quarter-finals.

Klopp initially ruled out fielding different teams in each competition but the club did not want to risk an even bigger headache when they enter the FA Cup in January, which brings with it the threat of replays and draw-dependent postponements.