Published: 22:30, 25 March 2022 | Updated: 01:26, 26 March 2022
Jordan Henderson has criticized the decision not to move Liverpool’s match at Wembley to Manchester City and hopes that the FA Cup semi-finals will return to neutral venues. Liverpool captain Henderson spent this week studying the consequences of not traveling by train to London from the north on Easter weekend and is disappointed that a solution – which would have seen the draw played closer to home – has not been found. . The Football Association announced on Friday that it would provide 100 free buses, split evenly between the two clubs, to provide a route to Wembley. The timetables, which will run from Anfield and the Etihad Stadium, are expected to carry 5,000 fans to the stadium. Jordan Henderson (second left) has expressed his disappointment that the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Manchester City will not be moved to a neutral venue despite fan battles. Half-time is set to take place at Wembley Stadium in London on April 16, which means fans from the North West will have to travel downstairs, although there are no train journeys on Easter weekend City have already said that they will wear 50 coaches, for which the fans will have to pay, to arrive in London, while Liverpool is still making plans for what it will do to help the travels of its fans. The start on April 16 has been moved to 3.30 p.m. and – with only a handful of Premier League games taking place that Saturday afternoon – there is a special exemption for the live broadcast of the match during which it would normally be a blackout. However, the result is not at all satisfactory, with the fans of Liverpool and City united in their criticism. It was therefore important that Henderson, who will start in England’s friendly against Switzerland at Wembley on Saturday, spoke with such purpose on the subject. “I thought a little more about the fans,” Henderson said. “I think in many ways it is their day and (it is difficult) that they can not go down to London for different reasons – the cost (which entails) for that. “Well, in my mind, it would obviously make sense to change it to a (different) neutral seat – especially with two teams from the northwest. That’s just my opinion. There are obviously complications to this, which I’m sure the FA needs to overcome. “But looking at the situation as a fan – which is probably the most important thing to me and something we have learned over the last two years about how important fans are to football – that it is really frustrating to see it as a fight. “It has to be expensive to get there.” Reds captain Henderson criticizes FA’s decision ahead of England match against Switzerland Sportsmail reported on Tuesday that the FA had been warned six months ago about engineering work that would make London Euston inaccessible, but no thought was given to playing the penultimate round of the competition elsewhere. The last time neutral ground was used for the last four was in 2007, when Manchester United played Watford at Villa Park and Chelsea traveled to Old Trafford to face Blackburn. Since then, each semifinal has been held at Wembley and Henderson played one in April 2012. It was then that Liverpool and Everton fans had to travel from Merseyside for a midday opener on Saturday and as long as Henderson remembers that occasion with love – Liverpool won 2-1 – he believes the glow has been taken away from him. the final because the teams have already been to Wembley. “To be honest – and again, this is my opinion – I like playing at Wembley,” Henderson said. I think it is a fantastic occasion, a fantastic stadium. But, for me, I would like to keep Wembley for finals anyway. I think (we should) play semifinals in neutral stadiums, as before. “I think it was very exciting, good enough and then obviously the Wembley final to make it very special. That’s my opinion, that’s another matter. But it is frustrating for the fans and I know the FA has changed the start time to try to help. “They have also put coaches down for the fans, both for Liverpool and City, which we hope will help. But yes, it’s definitely not ideal for fans. “
