The ‘unbelievable’ squad omission that Klopp can’t explain
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted that the omission of Dominic Solanke from the Watford squad was one he can’t explain.
Solanke and Danny Ings have played second fiddle to Roberto Firmino for most of the season, and have become more important within the squad following the departure of Daniel Sturridge to West Brom.
Both rotation options have swapped in and out of the match day squad in the last four games. Ings was included against the Hornets and Porto while Solanke made the Manchester United and Newcastle United squad.
And following that 5-0 win, manager Jurgen Klopp was talking about his forward options and seemed to big note the two English strikers as he admitted that he had no words to explain why a player as good as the former Chelsea youngster was left out the 17.
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“Dom Solanke [was] not in the squad, that’s unbelievable. I have no explanation for that, to be honest, apart from that I can only take 16 plus two goalkeepers so it’s just good,” Liverpoolfc.com reported that he said.
20-year-old Solanke, who joined this season from the Blues, has made 17 league appearances this campaign – but 14 of those have come from the bench.
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His potential is clear though, as he hit three goals in four games for England U20 side in their World Cup campaign – a tournament performance that comes after netting seven times in 21 league starts for Vitesse in the Eredivisie during 2016/2017.
Meanwhile Ings is just restarting his Liverpool career after suffering from a series of debilitating injuries and has just made eight substitute appearances the whole season.
In fact, the 25-year-old has started just three times since he moved to the club from Burnley in 2015 – after playing 75 league games and scoring 32 goals across two seasons.
However, Klopp mentioned that he is pleased with Ings’ progress since returning from injury as he said the forward “was a little bit unlucky (against Watford), but it’s still nice to watch that he is really good and really strong at the moment”.
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The Reds now have an enforced international break, before they take on Crystal Palace at the end of the month.