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BBC pundit thinks £110k-a-week star told Liverpool boss not to play him last night

Adam Lallana of Liverpool during the FA Cup Fifth Round match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Stamford Bridge on March 03, 2020 in London, E...
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John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

It was an emotional night for Adam Lallana on Wednesday.

The former Southampton attacker lifted the Premier League trophy at Anfield for one of his last times at the stadium as a Reds player.

Liverpool are set to release the 31-year-old but there was confusion when Jurgen Klopp didn’t bring him on for a farewell appearance.

Lallana was an unused substitute after Klopp said he was ‘100 percent’ going to name him in the squad prior to the 5-3 win over Chelsea.

The 31-year-old, who was emotional in the dressing room after the game, has a chequered injury history and former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock believes that the player himself may have requested not to come on in fear of getting injured.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I’m surprised Adam Lallana has not come on for one last appearance for Liverpool. We don’t know but maybe it’s a request from the player not to play so he doesn’t get injured.”

And if we’re honest, it does make sense for Lallana to request this.

If Liverpool fans were present inside Anfield it may have been different, and he may have wanted to say farewell in person.

But with the Kop empty, it probably wasn’t worth it for Lallana – who is earning £110,000 per week on Merseyside – if he were to get injured and ruin his chance of a Bosman move elsewhere.

Adam Lallana of Liverpool during the Carabao Cup Round of 16 match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield on October 30, 2019 in Liverpool, England. (Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)