Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said he will still be naming a strong Liverpool side for the Champions League game against Porto, despite his team having already secured top spot in Group B.
Liverpool qualified with two matches to spare by beating Atletico Madrid in their last group game and are about to enter a relentless playing schedule of 12 games in 40 days in all competitions.
But Klopp insists he cannot make wholesale changes as it upsets the “rhythm” of his team. “We cannot play football games with this line-up, then next game a line-up which has no chance to win a game, then bring them back again,” Klopp said.
“Players need rhythm, all these kinds of things. Do I make the decision because I don’t care who gets injured in the line-up tomorrow? No. I can’t and I will not. These things happen in football. Hopefully nothing happens tomorrow.”
Jurgen Klopp has said that Jordan Henderson and Andy Robertson — who both trained with the squad on Tuesday, are “ready to play” if called upon, but also said no risks will be taken.
“We always respect the competition but we have to think about ourselves and our schedule and the situation of our players first,” added the German.
“In this time of the season, the medical department has a big hand in line-ups. But we have to line up a team who has a chance to win a football game.”
Porto are in second place in the group, a point before Atletico Madrid and four before AC Milan.
