Liverpool may be 5-1 up going into tonight’s Europa League round of 16 second leg against Sparta Prague at Anfield, but Jurgen Klopp isn’t taking any chances with his starting XI.
Despite the comfortable buffer for the home tie, the manager has named Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez, Dominik Szoboszlai and Andy Robertson, among other first-team regulars, in the line-up to face the Czech champions.
Two prominent journalists covering the game for the Liverpool Echo admitted to being taken aback by the strength of the Reds’ XI, given the emphatic lead from last week and the proximity of the FA Cup clash at Manchester United on Sunday.
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Writing for the publication’s live matchday blog, Ian Doyle stated (18:52): “Some fans won’t be happy with that starting line-up but the reality is Liverpool have a job to do.
“If they get through to half-time in at least as strong a position as they started, then expect certain players to be substituted. That said, for all the talk of momentum, there’s only one more game until a long international break.”
His colleague Paul Gorst said (18:49): “I am shocked by how strong Jurgen Klopp has gone here tonight with his starting XI.
“It was telling that Szoboszlai would start given he was up for media duties yesterday and I assumed Salah would play for the minutes but Robertson, [Wataru] Endo and Nunez are all eyebrow-raisers. [Caoimhin] Kelleher too. Either way, something to look forward to for the fans who maybe expected a much less familiar lineup.”
Klopp’s scope for rotation is lessened by injuries to several first-team players, although it does seem surprising that he’s included the likes of Salah, Szoboszlai and Robertson in the circumstances.
The hope is that Liverpool can further extend their aggregate lead by half-time and maybe then withdraw the big names to make way for talented youngsters like Jayden Danns, Kaide Gordon and James McConnell.
It’s clear from the strength of the line-up that the Reds boss is paying plenty of respect to Sparta Prague despite the heavy defeat in the Czech capital last week, which on the balance of play was a closer contest than the 5-1 final score would suggest.
Fans may be watching through their fingers if any of the first-team regulars go to ground with even a minor knock, but hopefully everyone will come through the match without any damage being done.
The perfect scenario? Tack on a couple of goals before the interval and take off Salah, Nunez et al to rest them up for Sunday at Old Trafford.
Why is it surprising those 3 are starting? They have all had a long stretch out with injuries so this gives them game time in a much lesser intensity game. Shame you journalists didnt think before writing such rubbish.
Agreed John, I’d much rather them be up to speed for the United game and it was so straightforward, highly unlikely there would be injuries, no one was stretched.