Liverpool demolished a full-strength Southampton side in the League Cup last night, but what makes the result and performance most impressive is arguably the players who were not on the field…
Jurgen Klopp rotated his side heavily, resting usually automatic starters such as Simon Mignolet, Nathaniel Clyne and James Milner. Coutinho didn’t make the match-day squad, while Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino, £60m worth of attacking talent, remained on the bench.
Jordan Henderson and Jordon Ibe came on to good effect against Ronald Koeman’s humiliated outfit, but not one of this XI we’ve created below started the game on Wednesday evening. In fact, it could actually be described by many as a stronger side than the one which thrashed Southampton.
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Amazingly, the ‘sat out’ XI didn’t even have room for Danny Ings, Joao Teixeira, Jordan Rossiter, Jon Flanagan or Jose Enrique.
Have Liverpool ever had such a deep and impressive squad…?
Now, Klopp has to decide which players below will enter the fray for the crunch Premier League tie with Newcastle. Mignolet, Clyne and Milner seem guarantees, but with Divock Origi scoring three and Daniel Sturridge bagging two, it will be difficult for the German to drop them – even for the glamorous names you’ll see below.