I’M NOT KIDDING
Klopp won’t watch youngsters in Cup replay
JURGEN KLOPP insists he will NOT be at Liverpool’s FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury on a point of principle.
The Liverpool boss is standing firm on his controversial decision to field his Under-23 team and put academy coach Neil Critchley in charge again.
And Klopp confirmed he will not even be in the directors’ box for next Tuesday’s Anfield replay.
He said: “What difference would it make? Why should I be there? Give me a reason why I should.
“On the football side it is clear and the other thing is we have to make a stand. I
don’t understand that I should be in the directors’ box, just because people pay to watch the game.”
Klopp says staying away will underline his belief that the twoweek winter break should be observed.
He said: “I decided three weeks ago we would have a midseason break based on a letter we got [from the FA] in April 2019. It is now a principle thing.” Critchley (left) led a youthful Liverpool side in their 5-0 Carabao Cup defeat by Aston Villa in December when Klopp and his first-team squad were in Qatar for the Club World Cup.
“It makes no sense to me to work with them for two days, it’s about what is best for them,” said Klopp.
“They need their coach and it is Critch.
“But we will try everything we can do to win the game and be in the next round.
“The mid-season break is something that has to be settled for the next years and all the different parties together have to find a solution that will not be like this again.”
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola backed Klopp, saying: “We accept the schedules of the competitions, the games every two or three days. But don’t tell the manager the selection he has to choose, please. That’s our job.
“They do what they want to do and we will be there but it’s not for them to tell us which players we have to play in games.”
Liverpool will be without Sadio Mane at West Ham tonight.
The Senegal striker suffered a small tear to his hamstring at Wolves last week.