Liverpool will have nine further fixtures confirmed and added to their schedule this week as they learn their opponents in both the Champions League league phase and Carabao Cup. The Carabao Cup third round draw takes place on Wednesday night on Sky Sports after the broadcast of Everton's second round tie at Preston North End, while the Champions League league phase draw takes place on Thursday in Monaco at 5pm. The dates for these fixtures have already been confirmed, ensuring the Reds could face several tricky runs during the first half of the season.
Early Season Schedule
Due to Liverpool's involvement in the Champions League, they will contest their League Cup third round tie in the week commencing September 14. Such a fixture will fall between the visit of Fulham to Anfield on Saturday 12 September and Andoni Iraola's return to his former club, AFC Bournemouth, on Sunday 20 September. The Reds' European exploits will commence the week before, with their opening game scheduled to take place on September 8-10. It will be preceded by Liverpool's trip to Ipswich Town on Friday 4 September, with the aforementioned home clash with Fulham then following the subsequent weekend.
Big Six Clashes Ahead of European Matches
So far, so good for Iraola's side. But things could get trickier deeper into their Champions League league phase campaign. Their second European fixture will have to take place on Wednesday 14 October and will follow after their home clash with Man City on Sunday 11 October. They then travel to Brentford on Saturday 17 October. But their meeting with Man City will mark the first of five times they have to face a rival 'Big Six' Premier League side ahead of competing in Europe.
The Reds' third Champions League match will take place on October 20-21 following their aforementioned trip to Brentford, with Liverpool then next in action when they host Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday 24 October. But their next three European matches will be preceded by clashes with Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea respectively, with a trip to Everton also following one encounter.
Intimidating Runs Possible
Liverpool's fourth European clash will have to take place on Wednesday 4 November, following on from the visit of Arsenal to Anfield on Sunday 1 November. They then return to action away at Crystal Palace on the weekend of November 7-8. Matchday five will take place on November 24-25, with the Reds hosting Manchester United the weekend before on November 21-22. Liverpool will then travel to Everton on the weekend of November 28-29.
Chelsea visit Anfield the weekend of December 5-6, with the Reds then competing in their sixth European fixture - and final continental showing of 2026 - on December 8-9. The Champions League will then resume on January 19-20, with Liverpool hosting Crystal Palace the weekend of January 16-17 ahead of their penultimate league phase match. Iraola's side will then visit Manchester United the weekend of January 23-24 ahead of concluding their league phase campaign on Wednesday 27 January. The Reds will then host Everton in the corresponding Merseyside derby on the weekend of January 30-31.
Liverpool will be in pot one for the Champions League league phase draw along with Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Internazionale, Man City, Arsenal, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. With clubs now facing two sides from all four pots, it is quite possible that the Reds would have to face one of the aforementioned non-English European heavyweights off the back of locking horns with one of their domestic 'Big Six' rivals. The worst scenario for Liverpool would be for a meeting with a pot one opponent to fall between their clashes with Manchester United and Everton. Meanwhile, with the likes of Borussia Dortmund and AS Roma in pot two and Napoli in pot three, the Reds still face the prospect of an intimidating run of fixtures even if they avoid a pot one opponent in the aftermath of one of their tougher Premier League matches.
