Jurgen Klopp denied it was a “gamble” to bench a number of Liverpool’s key players for Sunday’s 3-1 win at Fulham.
The Reds got the points they needed in the end, keeping pace with fellow title challengers Arsenal and Manchester City thanks to goals by Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ryan Gravenberch and Diogo Jota.
Klopp was repaid for naming a starting lineup that did not feature any of Mohamed Salah, Alexis Mac Allister, Ibrahima Konate, Dominik Szoboszlai or Darwin Nunez, as other players came to the fore at Craven Cottage.
“I’m really happy with today, we made these changes because we were 100 per cent convinced we had to, it was not a gamble”, Klopp said.
“We play on Wednesday [against Everton] and then Saturday. On Saturday, we are already in London again [against West Ham], which is crazy enough. That’s how it is.
“We needed to make these changes before players give me the obvious sign: ‘Sorry, I’m done’.
“The squad situation, at the moment, hopefully, it stays like that, it is as good as it has been this season”, Klopp said about Liverpool’s favourable fitness record at present.
“If you saw our bench today, it was real quality and experience. I loved all the kids who played for us, did an incredible job, and we wouldn’t be where we are without them, but it’s cool, for once, to have all the big guns as well. Now we have to stay gritty, stay on it. Let’s see what we can do.”
The Reds face rivals Everton in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Wednesday night.
