Rotate or not? This is our Liverpool back four for Stoke City
By David Gate
Liverpool welcome Stoke City to Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday. Will Klopp rotate his defense again? Here is our Liverpool back four v Stoke.
Every week we look at who Jurgen Klopp will pick in defense for Liverpool. It is his most rotated are of the pitch this season. But never has the decision been more crucial than it is this week.
Liverpool have a 5-2 lead in the Champions League semi-final after an incredible first leg evening at Anfield. But the late goals conceded mean there is a real job to do in Italy next week. Meanwhile the Reds cannot afford to let up in the Premier League.
Things look alright on first glance. Sitting in third; three points ahead of Spurs in fourth and eight points in front of Chelsea in fifth. Both those sides have a game in hand. A loss or a draw on Saturday, followed by a very possible loss at Stamford Bridge next weekend, could see Liverpool needing to win on the last day of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion.
That was the situation Liverpool found themselves in last season when they had to beat Middlesbrough to secure fourth place.
They did it in the end but it was a nervous lead up to the game and an angsty first half at Anfield until Wijnaldum’s opener. If we make it to the Champions League final, we do not want ‘must win’ games in the league in the run up.
Klopp rotated three defenders last weekend against West Brom and paid the price with two late goals. How will the manager approach it against Stoke?