Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp handed a rare start to Divock Origi in the Champions League last night.
Origi was rewarded with a rare Liverpool start yesterday, in their Champions League match away to Porto.
The Belgian striker was hooked off at half-time though, with Roberto Firmino going on to replace him for Liverpool.
The Reds went on to win the game 4-1 on the night, with Firmino among the scorers.
But Klopp has insisted that Origi’s substitution had nothing to do with the Liverpool’s striker’s performance.
“Bobby has no fitness issues and because he doesn’t get any, that’s why we started with Divock,” Klopp said.
“We defended as a unit in the first line not too good, we had to change it at half-time
“But it was nothing about Divock. In training he is in unbelievable shape. How the game developed was perhaps not the most thankful game for a striker. That’s all.”
Origi’s start for Liverpool last night was just his fifth of the entire campaign, across all competitions.
Liverpool’s comfortable Champions League win means that Klopp’s side are still on to win the double this season.
Klopp’s men are fighting for the Premier League and in Europe, as the season reaches crunch time.
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