OPINION
Jurgen Klopp must field a much-changed Liverpool side against Chelsea on Saturday in their Premier League meeting compared to the team that started the EFL Cup clash on Wednesday.
The Reds suffered a 2-1 defeat courtesy of their league rivals with Klopp opting to use the game to give several players an opportunity to show why they should be considered for a regular slot in the first-team.
However while some rose to the occasion, only three players that started Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat to the Blues should retain their place in the starting line-up.
James Milner, Sadio Mane and Xherdan Shaqiri must all avoid being axed by Klopp and stay in the starting eleven for Saturday’s game.
Shaqiri was a one-man highlight reel against the Blues and easily the Reds’ best performer during their recent outing in the League Cup and his performance showed how he was capable of tearing the London club apart.
Therefore the left-footer dazzler must keep his place in the starting line-up as he could prove vital to his side, however he should be moved to play just behind Roberto Firmino, who should replace Daniel Sturridge, in order to have Mohamed Salah on the right-flank for this weekend’s game.
Summer recruits Naby Keita and Fabinho showed glimpses of their talents against the Blues on Wednesday but the duo didn’t show enough to be kept in the side for the encounter at Stamford Bridge.
Georginio Wijnaldum should return to central midfielder in place of Keita as he has been underrated this season while Fabinho is technically replaced by Salah compared to the side that started Wednesday’s clash.
Klopp should then change the entire back-four and his goalkeeper from the League Cup clash as no one really made a case to start on Saturday and recall the back-four, bar Joel Matip, who started the Reds’ last league outing against Southampton as well as starting Alisson between the sticks.
Instead of Matip, Joe Gomez should start alongside Virgil van Dijk as he has blossomed in the early stages of the current campaign.
With these changes made, then the Reds will successfully get revenge on the Blues for inflicting them with their first defeat of the season as they will be too much for their opponents to handle.
