Alan Brazil has backed Jurgen Klopp’s decision to axe both Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri for the 2-1 loss to Manchester City last Thursday.
A Leroy Sane double ended the Reds’ unbeaten run in the Premier League, hence closing the gap between the two clubs at the top of the table to just four points.
Talk Sport host Brazil has slammed the critics who aimed fire at Klopp for dropping the duo and opting to start Jordan Henderson and James Milner instead, saying that the manager changed his team to suit the tempo of the game.
“Even so, some miserable gits have accused Liverpool’s gaffer of bottling it with his team selection. Why? Because they don’t understand the game! Since their campaign kicked off, Klopp’s side have been an attacking machine,” he said in his Sunday Post column.
“Their strength at the back has given them license to go gung-ho against all comers. That’s what people wanted to see from them at the Etihad. So when Xherdan Shaqiri and Fabinho were benched from the side that thumped Arsenal 5-1 five days before, the critics pointed their fingers.
“In came Jordan Henderson and James Milner – and both are fantastic players. But the boo boys questioned whether either of them have Shaqiri’s magic or Fabinho’s killer ball? As far as I’m concerned, those dafties are barking up the wrong tree.
“What happened was that Jurgen Klopp looked at the game and knew it was going to be a high-tempo, high-pressing affair from start to finish and adjusted his team accordingly. As good a player as Shaqiri is, he’s no workhorse.”
OPINION
Brazil is right – there were those who criticised Klopp for being too safe with his team selection – after all, why would he change the side who won against Arsenal so convincingly? However, Brazil has provided his backing to the manager, and he is correct to do so. Klopp needed players on the pitch who really put maximum effort into any game, and Henderson and Milner are just the players who can provide that. As talented as Shaqiri is, he is not known for his high workrate, so it made sense to axe him from the starting XI for his match. Yes, admittedly the result did not go the way Liverpool wanted it to go, but it is easy to agree that Klopp made the right choices in terms of team selection. He has hardly put a foot wrong this season, so who is anyone to criticise who he chooses to play?
