LONDON – Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says none of his first
team players will be involved in the FA Cup replay with Shrewsbury
Town because they will be on a mid-season break.
The Reds surrendered a two-goal lead on Sunday with Shrewsbury
substitute Jason Cummings scoring both goals to force a replay at
Anfield, which will be played on February 4.
Klopp has decided "it will be the kids who play" and the German coach
won't be present either with youth team manager Neil Critchley taking
charge.
"I said to the boys already two weeks ago that we will have a winter
break, which means we will not be there," said Klopp.
"You cannot deal with us like nobody cares about it. I know that it's
not very popular but that's the way I see it.
"The Premier League asked us to respect the winter break. That's what
we do. If the FA doesn't respect that, then we cannot change it. We
will not be there."
This is the first time the Premier League has scheduled a winter
break and asked all clubs to "provide their players with a break from
the physical and mental rigours of playing matches."
The break will take place from February 8 with only four matches
being played in a weekend and the rest will continue the following
week.
In theory, this should give all clubs between 13 and 16 days rest but
with teams like Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Newcastle also
forced into FA Cup replays, this has been reduced for those clubs
to 10-12 days.