Saints Carabao Cup tie up at Goodison park will now be put back a week because of scheduling issues with Liverpool also drawn at home.

The week beginning Monday 24th September was always going to be a difficult one to play a football game on Merseyside. With Liverpool and Everton drawn at home in their third round Carabao cup ties, Merseyside Police would be stretched in the normal scheme of things , with the draw serving up a scheduling nightmare because policing and transport issues make it impossible for the Merseyside clubs play on the same evening, but with the Labour annual conference running from Sunday 23rd September till Wednesday 26th that complicates matter more not only for security but with accommodation and public transport stretched to the limit.

Saints will now play at Goodison on Tuesday, October 2 at 7.45pm, while Liverpool’s glamour tie with Chelsea is confirmed for Wednesday, September 26..

Complications arose because Everton and Chelsea did not want to play on Tuesday, September 25 because they are involved in Premier League action the previous Sunday.

Chelsea play West Ham and Everton travel to Arsenal for televised fixtures. Naturally, neither club was happy with the idea of playing twice in three days.

Delaying the Liverpool versus Chelsea tie by a week was never an option as both teams are competing in Europe.

The Football League believe Everton and Southampton are understanding of the situation and satisfied with the outcome.

Photo: Action Images

Number_58 added 09:08 - Sep 11 Well, at least we'll find out who we would have played in the fourth round.
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A1079 added 17:47 - Sep 11 I reckon anyone going will be able to park right at the ground, such is the lack of interest. There were groans when the tie was originally made, now the date is being messed about what little interest there was has probably all but evaporated - like our chances, when the draw was made.
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