Liverpool vs Leicester: Be brave! Selection call hammered as Reds limp to a draw

Liverpool could only draw against Leicester City on Wednesday night and the selection of Jordan Henderson at right-back has been hammered.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez and James Milner were all unavailable through injury or suspension and so Jurgen Klopp was forced to play someone out of position.

Before the game, we all thought it would be Fabinho. But Klopp pulled a rabbit out of the hat and named Henderson in the position, which is so crucial to the Reds going forward.

The gaffer explained that he didn’t want to throw Rafa Camacho in at the deep end for his first Premier League start, and that’s why Hendo started at right-back.

Klopp was worried about the threat Leicester left-back Ben Chilwell posed, especially on the overlap. Talking about his decision after the game, the gaffer explained: “I didn’t want to give Rafa, in his first game in that position, such a big task.”

But in hindsight, was that move too defensive? Did it lack the courage required to send Liverpool seven points clear at the top of the Premier League, or was it the right call?

Camacho would have been the more attacking choice, no doubt. The youngster is a forward by trade, who has only recently been converted to a senior full-back.

But the move would have allowed Henderson to start alongside Gini Wijnaldum, in place of the disappointing Naby Keita. This could have improved Liverpool’s recycling off the ball and their offensive threat down the right hand side.

Klopp would have been risking it by playing Camacho. That role requires endless energy, excellent positioning and the nous to know when to bomb forward and when to hold back.

It’s a tough ask for experienced defenders (see Nathaniel Clyne), and the gaffer clearly believed it would be too much to ask of the youngster.