Liverpool Fined £200,000 for Using Ineligible Player in MK Dons Carabao Cup Win

Liverpool have been fined £200,000 for fielding an ineligible player during their win over MK Dons in the third round of the Carabao Cup but will not be expelled from the competition:

The English Football League have released a statement confirming Liverpool have "breached the rules of the Carabao Cup by fielding an ineligible player."

The player in question is midfielder Pedro Chirivella, who came on as a substitute during Wednesday's match but had not received international clearance to play.

Chirivella, a 22-year-old defensive midfielder, spent time on loan with Extremadura Union Deportiva last season but had not been registered to play for Liverpool after his contract with the Spanish second-division side ended.

Liverpool had faced the possibility of being thrown out of the tournament for the offence, but the statement added "that it wasn't appropriate to expel the club from the competition because of a number of mitigating factors."

The EFL noted that Liverpool had "sought the assistance of the Football Association in securing the return of the international clearance prior to the start of this season" and had also included Chirivella in Premier League Two matches, "which resulted in the breach not being identified until the club reported the issue to the EFL and Premier League following the MK Dons match."

Liverpool have therefore been found guilty of misconduct and fined £200,000, although half of that sum is suspended until the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

Klopp's side won the tie 2-0 to set up a fourth-round clash against Premier League rivals Arsenal. The tie will now go ahead as planned at Anfield on October 29.

Liverpool have responded to the charge and said they "accept the judgement, outcome and punishment," which is "proportionate with the technical indiscretion committed," per BBC Sport.