Klopp explains his five changes against Porto
Jürgen Klopp has explained how he ultimately settled on five changes to his Liverpool team to face FC Porto at Anfield.
The Reds lead the Champions League last-16 tie 5-0 ahead of the second leg after an emphatic victory in the opening meeting in Portugal in February.
Joe Gomez, Adam Lallana, Joel Matip, James Milner and Alberto Moreno have been brought into the starting XI as Klopp utilises the ‘whole quality’ available to him.
“It’s really about bringing in the full quality we have,” the manager explained of his changes.
“We can talk about Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has played four games in a row, quite intense, and played really well. But Joe Gomez is fit and a fantastic player. That’s not ‘rotating’, it’s only bringing in Joe in a good shape and at the highest motivation level.
“It is exactly the same for Alberto Moreno. Adam Lallana, it was clear that at one point we needed to use him. Milner was not injured but he got a knock in the game before the last one. That’s the only reason. Joel Matip is back; the same with Virgil van Dijk, he played four games in a row as well.
“We want to use the whole quality of the squad.”