'I would love to see it rescheduled to resemble the World Cup': Jamie Carragher calls for radical shake-up to rejuvenate this season's FA Cup, which would see the remaining seven fixtures played in just EIGHT days

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Jamie Carragher has raised the suggestion that the FA Cup should resemble the latter stages of the World Cup to bring this difficult season to a memorable end.

The decline of the competition has been clear to onlookers since the rise of the Premier League, with the same clubs dominating in the latter stages. 

Last season saw Manchester City lift the trophy after thumping Watford 6-0 at Wembley, making it the sixth year in a row one of the traditonal Big Six in the Premier League had triumphed. 

Jamie Carragher has suggested a radical shake up to the FA Cup latter stages for this season

The past few seasons have seen the traditional Big Six in the Premier League dominate the cup

The final, which had been due to take place on Saturday before the domestic schedule was hit by the coronavirus, is now currently without a date, with the tournament currently stuck in the quarter-final stages. 

With the tournament still having a while to go, and its popularity draining in England, Carragher has suggested imitating the World Cup and it's final stages to draw back in the nation's attention. 

'One of the side-effects of the lockdown has been the compulsion for industries to explore ideas which would have been unpalatable or even nonsensical three months ago,' he wrote in his column for The Telegraph. 

'The FA should get on board with a radical experiment to complete their fixtures.

'I would love to see this season’s FA Cup rescheduled to resemble the final stages of a World Cup, all the remaining games played after the conclusion of the Premier League.

'Imagine it. Quarter-finals could be played on the Friday and Saturday after the last Premier League weekend. Midweek semi-finals could then be immediately followed by the final, the competition concluded in eight days.

'It could be a thrilling finale to a season which, in the Premier League at least, is all about the top four and relegation places once play resumes.' 

Carragher won the competition twice himself as a player with Liverpool, in 2001 and 2006. 

Carragher lifted the FA Cup twice as a player, once in 2001 and again in 2006 with Liverpool

The Reds were knocked out of this season's competition in the fifth round, after losing 2-0 to Chelsea.

The Blues face Leicester in the quarter-finals, while holders Manchester City will face Newcastle United. 

Manchester United take on Norwich City and Arsenal will play Sheffield United in the other two last-eight ties.