LIVERPOOL BOSS JURGEN Klopp sprang a surprise as he left Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino on the bench for Sunday’s Merseyside derby against Everton.
Coutinho and Firmino, who have scored nine Premier League goals between them this season, were shock omissions from the starting line-up at Anfield.
In total, Klopp made six changes from Liverpool’s midweek Champions League thrashing of Spartak Moscow.
There are rare starts for forward Dominic Solanke, midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and defender Andrew Robertson, while Jordan Henderson also returned to the team.
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“Dom’s good enough. There are a lot of English players on the pitch today so they know about the importance of the derby, for sure,” Klopp said.
“Dom is a footballer from head to toe, he is all around a really proper professional.
“It’s a part of the season where you have to make the changes when you can make the changes.
“I think all the Champions League sides, or Europa League sides, made a lot of changes in midweek.
“Their games, maybe they were not as important as ours was. We had to go through a very intense game.”
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Klopp springs major surprise by resting Coutinho and Firmino for Merseyside derby
LIVERPOOL BOSS JURGEN Klopp sprang a surprise as he left Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino on the bench for Sunday’s Merseyside derby against Everton.
Coutinho and Firmino, who have scored nine Premier League goals between them this season, were shock omissions from the starting line-up at Anfield.
In total, Klopp made six changes from Liverpool’s midweek Champions League thrashing of Spartak Moscow.
There are rare starts for forward Dominic Solanke, midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and defender Andrew Robertson, while Jordan Henderson also returned to the team.
“Dom’s good enough. There are a lot of English players on the pitch today so they know about the importance of the derby, for sure,” Klopp said.
“Dom is a footballer from head to toe, he is all around a really proper professional.
“It’s a part of the season where you have to make the changes when you can make the changes.
“I think all the Champions League sides, or Europa League sides, made a lot of changes in midweek.
“Their games, maybe they were not as important as ours was. We had to go through a very intense game.”
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):
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