For the second year in a row, Liverpool have qualified from their Champions League group before the final matchday. With the busy Christmas period on the horizon, many Reds fans believe Jurgen Klopp should use a second string XI in the upcoming games against Porto and AC Milan.
In form attacker Diogo Jota was injured in a ‘dead rubber’ last year against FC Midtjylland and missed 19 games, the only time he has been out for more than a month in his career.
Jurgen Klopp has hinted he will continue to play his first team in the competition, saying he wanted to make a “good impression” at the San Siro, which he described as “an historic stadium”.
On the latest episode of our Journo Insight Show, we asked Goal’s Neil Jones how strong he expects Liverpool’s teams to be in the remaining Champions League group games.
Neil said:
“A lot of people come to these Champions League games that come from everywhere. That is the case. For someone, that’s their first ever Liverpool game, it might be the only Liverpool game they get to, it’s the game they’ve looked forward to all their life.”
“He’s not going to suddenly put Pep Ljinders in at centre-half and John Achterberg in goal! What it means is he can prioritise. It might be Origi in for Mane, it might be Minamino getting a start in the Champions League. Not just resting players, but also getting good game time into these players that haven’t been getting it. Putting them in a more structured side, giving them a chance and saying, ‘Come on, there you go, go and get yourself some rhythm and play yourself into more games in the future.’
You would hope that Liverpool are probably in a stronger position. Heavy rotation would be a Konate, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones, Kaide Gordon maybe. It’s a stronger looking rotated side.”
Redmen Reacts
Many Reds fans will be scarred by last season’s injury crisis and would, therefore, be happy to see John Achterberg strapping his gloves on in Milan!
Liverpool have suffered a few injuries already this season, especially in midfield, so any that were possibly picked up in the final two Champions League games would feel needless.
Jurgen clearly takes every game in the competition seriously and would like to win the maximum amount of UEFA prize money to fill the club’s coffers. These games are an opportunity to get minutes into the legs of the likes of Joe Gomez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who may well be needed over the busy Christmas period. A run out against a Porto or AC Milan side fighting to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League should get the fringe players up to speed, and are far better preparation than the likes of a League Cup tie.
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