The former Liverpool defender acknowledged having doubts about Jurgen Klopp’s decision to alter the starting lineup of his Reds so drastically for their trip to Chelsea.
Jamie Carragher, a former Liverpool player, has said that the number of adjustments Jurgen Klopp made for the Reds’ Tuesday night trip to Chelsea is cause for concern.
For the crucial match at Stamford Bridge, Klopp made a number of significant decisions, but Carragher also noted that the high-profile players that were benched definitely raised eyebrows. The season has been particularly inconsistent for Liverpool, who entered the match against the Blues having suffered consecutive losses to Bournemouth and Manchester City.
The game against arch ʀɪᴠᴀʟ Manchester United, which came before the 1-0 setback on the south coast, was a spectacular 7-0 victory that will live long in the memory of everyone who saw it. The streak highlights Liverpool’s flaws, but Carragher isn’t sure about the six adjustments Klopp made for the trip to Chelsea.
Prior to the game’s start, Carragher said on Sky Sports: “No, it’s more than you do expect. What Jurgen Klopp has done since he took over is that there are some guys that just play every game, you know, and those players, some of them aren’t playing tonight.
“You look at the back four, Virgil van Dijk, that’s down to illness we’re told but Trent Alexander-Arnold you’re always expecting to be on that team sheet. Mo Salah being another one, Andy Robertson being another one.
“He hasn’t just changed the team, he’s changed mainstays really who are there week-in week-out – not just this season but for years gone by.”
Jurgen Klopp’s team selection for Liverpool’s trip to Chelsea raised eyebrows.
Carragher continued to consider the reasons behind Klopp’s decisions, speculating that Saturday’s humiliation at the hands of City and Sunday’s home game against the league-leading Arsenal may have contributed.
“Is that to do with the performance against Manchester City? Is it to do with the ꜰᴀᴄᴛ that Liverpool have three tough games in a week? It’s a bit of both.
“There’s no doubt that what happened at the Etihad on Saturday is certainly in the back of his mind and he had to make changes on the back of that performance.”
It is unknown if players like Salah, Alexander-Arnold, and Robertson will be available for the match against the Gunners, but it would be a big move on Klopp’s part to leave them off the starting lineup for a second straight contest.
That being said, if this revamped Liverpool performs well at Stamford Bridge, Klopp might decide to stick with his principles and repeat this experiment at the weekend.
FA charge Liverpool for surrounding referee following Man City controversy
After their players swarmed referee Simon Hooper during last weekend’s 4-1 thumping at Manchester City, the Football Association has officially charged Liverpool.
Liverpool FC has been charged after its players encircled a match official during the 34th minute of their Premier League encounter against Manchester City FC on April 1, according to a statement from the FA.
“It’s alleged that Liverpool FC failed to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or do not behave in a way which is improper, and the club has until Wednesday 12 April to respond.”
The event took place with the score tied at 1-1 in the first half of the match. The guests felt Rodri should have been sent packing for receiving a second yellow card, and this caused them great resentment.
Cody Gakpo was attempting to mount a ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴇʀᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ when the City midfielder, who had just received a booking, dragged him back. However, Hooper permitted him to stay on the playing field because the Reds players pleaded with him to receive a second caution.
And that choice was pivotal in the events of the day, as Pep Guardiola’s team picked up steam after the interval to hand Liverpool another another humiliating loss.
Former Premier League ref Mark Halsey had warned Jurgen Klopp and his side that a fine could be on the way, despite believing Rodri should have been sent off. “Rodri can count himself lucky Simon Hooper chose to referee the game in a lenient way because on another day his first half challenge on Cody Gakpo could have resulted in him getting a second yellow card for denying a promising ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ.”
Jordan Henderson was amongst the Liverpool players to surround referee Simon Hooper.
The players swarmed the referee, and it is not what we want to see, he continued.
When Liverpool was charged by the FA following the Merseyside derby with Everton in February, they received the same punishment. On that occasion, a dispute between Jordan Pickford and Andy Robertson led to a ꜰɪɢʜᴛ between the two teams of players.
Although Klopp believed his team had been unfairly treated by the champions, he questioned if it would have made much of a difference given City’s hegemony. I didn’t see well enough, he said. I understood the circumstances, but could he have received a second yellow? Probably, yes. Now he won’t understand it. Yes, I do believe that against ten ᴍᴇɴ today, we might not have prevailed.
Pep Guardiola celebrated in the face of the Liverpool substitutes.
Guardiola, the manager of City, has also avoided punishment for his overzealous celebrations after his team’s first goal. The FA decided not to press charges for a ᴠɪᴏʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴ of FA Rule E3, which specifies that all participants must not “act in any manner which is improper or brings the game into disrepute,” despite criticism for appearing to celebrate in the face of Liverpool substitute Kostas Tsimikas.
Guardiola insisted that he had not stepped over the line while speaking to media after the game, sᴀʏ: “I was happy and I said, ‘How nice was our goal?'” That’s it.
Then, when asked if he was just enjoying himself, Guardiola replied, “Of course, come on.” When asked if he thought his celebration was disrespectful, he responded, “I’m very sorry. Speak to Tsimikas and Arthur about their disrespect. If I am not respectful, ask him. I rejoiced upon scoring.
The goal was beautiful, wasn’t it? I sᴀʏ as I celebrate with my son on the floor and come over. Just that. So sorry again. Do you consider it to have been disrespectful? I’m sorry, I see.
