Liverpool vs Genk: Midfield running on empty means it’s time for a full rotation

Liverpool looked tired and leggy against Manchester United on Sunday so it’s time for a full midfield rotation for the Genk game on Wednesday.

Jurgen Klopp has backed his favored three of Georginio Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho and that’s brilliant. It lets the players know that the manager has faith in them, it gives them time to get to know each other’s game and it embeds them in the system.

But, there’s a big but coming.

They’re starting to look leggy, tired, in need of a rest. Both Henderson and Wijnaldum played massive roles for their country over the international break and while Fabinho didn’t feature a lot, he still travelled with Brazil and that takes it out of you.

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Which is why Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner need to be part of the mass rotation crew and start the Champions League game against Genk on Wednesday.

I’m not saying Klopp needs to do a Brendan and play a massively weaker side in Europe because of domestic fear, I’m saying the German should use the brilliant resources he has at his disposal and give his key figures some much needed rest.

Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain are in serious need of rhythm after prolonged periods out of the Liverpool side. Substitute appearances here and there aren’t going to do them that much good in terms of regaining that sharpness. That needs to come with starts.

Milner is underrated and can fill in the gap left behind by Fabinho. Although not a pure defensive midfielder, Milly has been around the bloke enough to understand the role and will carry it out to the letter.

Across the rest of the side, Mohamed Salah may miss out again which could give Divock Origi another bit of the cherry – while you’d expect the back four plus Alisson to remain pretty much the same.