Klopp to continue rotation by benching Salah – report

Joe Williams

Jurgen Klopp will continue his controversial rotation policy against West Brom on Wednesday by benching Mohamed Salah, according to reports.

The German coach made several changes for the weekend’s draw against Everton in the Merseyside derby with Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, Emre Can and Georginio Wijnaldum all missing out on the starting line-up.

The Daily Mirror reports that Klopp – who has made 59 changes to his starting line-up this season – will leave out Salah despite his recent scoring exploits.

Salah has been in red-hot form for the Reds this campaign and is leading the Premier League scoring charts with 13 goals.

However, with Klopp insistent that rotation will become the norm with the higher demands placed on players, it looks likely now that Salah will only make the bench.

“I have said in the future of football there will be more rotation, because no-one will take away the games,” said Klopp.

“It is quicker, more intense, with more sprints, more high runs, less breaks and so many things. It is going in one direction and you have to react. That is how it is. We have to make these decisions. We have the opportunity to make changes because of the quality in the squad.”

Dominic Solanke is likely to be the other player to make way on Wednesday against West Brom with Can, Wijnaldum and Firmino all set to start.

Klopp has conceded that if his squad had been strong enough last season then we would have seen more rotation with Liverpool failing to win a Premier League match in January.

“If we had this squad last year we would have done it last year – for all these games I really think if we have the quality in the squad we have we have to use it,” Klopp added.

“You cannot play the same 11 players all the time until four are injured and then you hope the other four who come in – who are quality but have no rhythm – will perform for you and that is not likely.

“It is about information. We have a little information after a game and sometimes that leads to a decision that sometimes you should not go with the risk of this player or that player.

“That sounds like an excuse. I don’t need an excuse. I find it funny that we talk after this game about that. We did not speak after the 5-1 or 3-0 (when we rested players).

“This is one game we should have won they did not play. We play it ten times and we win.

“I took Mo Salah off because he had a hamstring a little bit. Then everyone said, ‘How can you take him off?’ I do not go out and say, ‘Yeah, but he is close to being injured’. That sounds like an excuse – I do not want to deliver that. I make the decision.”