Liverpool's training plans for Manchester City second leg could be affected by pitch problems

City trained at Anfield on Tuesday but Liverpool may not be able to train at the Etihad next Monday

Jurgen Klopp hopes Liverpool can train at the Etihad next Monday night (Getty)

Liverpool’s preparations for the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie with Manchester City could be affected by a lack of available training pitches.

Despite the close proximity of the two clubs, City took up the option to train at Anfield on Tuesday evening, 24 hours before Wednesday’s first leg.

Jürgen Klopp would like his players to do the same at the Etihad next Monday, but Liverpool have as of yet been unable to find a pitch in Manchester for a subsequent, separate training session to be next Tuesday morning.

It is understood that Liverpool asked Manchester United whether they would be able to use pitches at The Cliff, United’s former training ground in Salford, but the site is in use on the morning in question.

Klopp revealed the club’s problems in finding a training pitch during his pre-match press conference.

When asked about City’s decision to train at Anfield, he said: “We would have liked to have trained at City next week too but we didn’t get a pitch for the next morning because no Manchester club could give us a pitch.”

Klopp went on to claim that City will train at Goodison Park, the home of Everton, on Wednesday morning.

“Manchester City can train at Goodison which gives me something for Saturday [when Liverpool play away at Everton in the Merseyside derby] but nothing for now,” he said.

Liverpool’s preparations for the second leg are yet to be finalised but failure to find a closed pitch available for next Tuesday morning could lead to Klopp’s squad training away from the Etihad.