Wonderful to see the fringe players doing so well, admits Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hailed the fringe players who started the Merseyside derby as the German boss rested 2 of his first choice attackers in Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah. Despite resting his stars, the Reds ran riot over Everton as the team defeated Toffees 5-2 at Anfield.
Liverpool managed to secure a massive 5-2 victory over city rivals Everton in the Merseyside derby. The victory was the Reds' 14th in 15 league matches and it helped them maintain their eight-point lead at top of the Premier League table. Manager Jurgen Klopp made two big changes in the attack, resting Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino and bringing Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri to the starting lineup.
The gamble proved to be extremely fruitful as Origi scored a brace and Shaqiri was his effervescent self even getting himself on the scoresheet. But in the absence of Salah and Firmino, Sadio Mane was the bright light for the league leaders and caused Everton immense problems. With a packed schedule over December and January, Klopp has to find a way of giving his key players a break and this was one of those occasions. Their performances vindicated the former Mainz boss' decision to play them and Klopp went on to praised his fringe players for stepping up.
“As a manager you hope for it and then the boys deliver and it is the best feeling you can get as a manager. It didn't surprise me but I didn't expect it in that manner. It was really good. It helped us. The boys know now it is easy for me to tell them how good they are. When they play and deliver like they did it is very good for the whole squad,” said Klopp to Daily Mail.
Klopp’s men have secured 43 points out of a possible 45 but the German has insisted that they must keep pushing for the best and try and win every game. They are 11 points ahead of Champions Manchester City and eight points ahead of title contenders Leicester City. The league leaders now travel to Bournemouth as they prepare to take on Eddie Howe’s men at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday before a Champions League clash against RB Slazburg.
“It is just a number, 43, but three is the next number when we play against Bournemouth. They are not happy with their situation (having lost four in row). They want to strike back so we have to be ready for that. That is the only thing I am really thinking about. Stats are cool after the season, but in it, I'm not interested,” said the former Borussia Dortmund manager.