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Liverpool’s stand-in manager Neil Critchley backs Jurgen Klopp’s FA Cup absence

There will be few familiar faces on show at Anfield on Tuesday night

Karl Matchett
Monday 03 February 2020 19:21 GMT
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Jurgen Klopp defends fielding weakened Liverpool team against Shrewsbury

Liverpool face Shrewsbury in their FA Cup fourth round replay on Tuesday night, but the players on show won’t be regulars – and neither will the faces in the dugout.

Jurgen Klopp has already confirmed that the senior players won’t feature, as the game comes in the two-week mid-season break given to clubs by the Premier League.

With plans for season fitness and the run-in already in place, Klopp has been unwilling to change them to accommodate a replay, meaning the club’s youngsters will face the Shrews.

As such, U23 manager Neil Critchley will take charge of the team, as he did against Aston Villa in the League Cup quarter-final before Christmas, when the Reds’ senior side was in Qatar for the Club World Cup.

And while he didn’t expect to be taking charge for a second time this season, Critchley stands entirely behind Klopp’s decision, saying the overall club ethos which gives young players a chance is a far more important, and relevant, point to focus on.

“The manager has made [things] quite clear with his statement and what he said prior to the game,” said Critchley in his pre-match press conference. “He gives myself, the staff, the players unbelievable support.

“I can speak to him whenever I like when I’m down here. He supports the young players unbelievably well, as he has shown so far this season.

“His presence, even if he isn’t there, is always felt by our younger players and by me.

“I also think maybe one per cent that came into his thinking around his decision [was] the way we played against Aston Villa, maybe he thought the boys deserved another opportunity.”

While the young Reds eventually succumbed 5-0 to Villa, they gave a good account of themselves early on and created a host of opportunities when the scoreline was close.

Klopp won’t be in the dugout at Anfield on Tuesday

Critchley says the mentality of the first team and the scope of what Liverpool are achieving as a club this season seeps through to the Academy, too, and gives massive motivation to all to succeed.

“The strength of the first team, what you see all the time, and I don’t think it gets spoken about enough, but when you are around it you see the culture they create. That’s through the people that they are.

“For our players to be in and around that on a regular basis, it can’t help but rub off on them. I think that has been one of the biggest changes I’ve felt in our younger players – when they’ve had an opportunity to be in and around the senior players on a more regular basis, which a lot of them have had this season.

“When you talk about the season Liverpool are having, which is quite staggering, for our manager to still support our younger players and give them opportunity is quite remarkable really.

“There has been a real connection between the younger players and the first-team players and long may that continue.”

Curtis Jones will have his chance to shine once more

It will be an incredibly inexperienced team which takes on Shrewsbury at Anfield, though most of the likely lineup have had at least of taste of action this season.

Curtis Jones will be the most prominent name, with the attacking midfielder having scored against Everton in the third round and the initial tie against Shrewsbury, as well as featuring off the bench in the Premier League against West Ham last week.

Left-back Yasser Larouci faces a late fitness test, with Adam Lewis potentially filling in at left-back if Larouci doesn’t make it back in time.

Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, right-back Neco Williams, centre-back Ki-Jana Hoever, midfielder Pedro Chirivella and wide forward Harvey Elliott are others with reasonable first-team experience who will almost certainly make up the bulk of Liverpool’s XI on the night.

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