Liverpool host Premier League rivals Chelsea in the EFL Cup at Anfield on Wednesday night, but will Jurgen Klopp rotate his team?
The League Cup might be dismissed by some but the often-derided competition still represents a wonderful opportunity for fringe players to prove themselves.
And Phil Thompson believes that Liverpool should use their EFL Cup clash against Chelsea on Wednesday to give a number of seldom-seen players an opportunity to force their way into Jurgen Klopp’s first-team plans.
Liverpool, who have won all of their games so far this season, are expected to make a number of changes against Chelsea and Thompson has named five players who should start at Anfield.
“There could be a multitude of changes, but I think Jurgen Klopp has a great opportunity to change his team,” the 64-year-old, who represented Liverpool between 1971 and 1984, told Sky Sports.
“Xherdan Shaqiri will probably play and we are looking at such a good squad now that he could literally pick a second team of what we call star names. Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip (below), Alberto Moreno and Fabinho should all start.”
Lovren has missed the start of the season with injury but has returned to first-team training recently and will offer depth to Klopp in defence alongside Matip, who was superb in a goal scoring performance against Southampton on Saturday.
The error-prone Moreno has barely featured in the last year with Andrew Robertson established at left-back while Nathanial Clyne has fallen down the pecking order after a series of injury problems.
Klopp, meanwhile, has eased Fabinho into life at Anfield following his £48 million move from Monaco and now could be the perfect time to thrust him into the limelight.
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