Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has heaped praise on a quartet of players that he has labelled his “strongest” despite them rarely featuring this season.
The Reds’ quartet in question have just 12 Premier League starts between them this season, but Klopp has highlighted their importance. And in fact all four did not make the 20-man squad on Sunday in the 2-0 defeat of Everton.
Klopp has put together a squad that is unrivalled in comparison to Anfield squads of recent years. The German coach built a brilliant team in the run up to winning the Premier League in 2019/20. But now the former Borussia Dortmund man has compiled a squad which has strength in depth.
Jordan Henderson and Luis Diaz could only make the bench on Sunday, while another fringe man Divock Origi climbed off the bench to head the second goal late on.
The result has left the Reds hunting down Manchester City in the Premier League for the title. They sit just a point behind the champions, with five matches remaining, although Klopp’s men have a better goal difference.
But afterwards Klopp reflected on four players who were not involved at Anfield, who he claimed are vital to the dynamics of the squad.
Klopp said: “The group lives because of the boys that don’t always play, they are the strongest players ever; [Alex] Oxlade-Chamberlain, [Harvey] Elliot, [Takumi] Minamino, even Rhys Williams.
“They are in great shape, but the way they behave is why we do these kind of things.”
Things were not going well for Liverpool at half-time, with Everton managing to repel their limited attacks.
Klopp though intervened at half-time and Andy Robertson broke the deadlock begore Origi sealed the win.
Klopp reveals half-time tweaks
“A football game has two halves; thank god. In the first half, we didn’t pass quick enough, accelerate at the right moments, pass in behind. At half-time, I told the players it was easy to improve. We didn’t really show up, so they stepped up,” added Klopp.
“We had lots of things to improve on and we did; it is really difficult to deal with over 80 per cent possession and the counter-attacking threat of the opponent. I’m really happy because it isn’t about flying every week, it is about getting results. We had to work hard for it, but all good.
“There are not a lot of points we can drop, the next one is always waiting around the corner. That is the situation we are in. We have eight games to play, and if it goes well we can fit in a ninth, but you have to win games when you aren’t at our best.”
The result leaves Liverpool on course for an unprecedented quadruple.
With the EFL Cup in the bag, they are chasing the Premier League and face Villarreal in the Champions League semi-finals, while Chelsea await them at Wembley next month in the FA Cup final.
