Angry Klopp defends team selection after derby draw

Tuesday, 12 December 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

London (Reuters): Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp defended his team selection after Everton snatched a late point in Sunday’s Merseyside derby.

The German made six changes to the starting line-up that crushed Spartak Moscow 7-0 in a midweek Champions’ League group tie, leaving first-choice Brazilians Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino on the bench for the game at Anfield.

Dominic Solanke made his second league start up front instead.

Liverpool dominated possession and Mohamed Salah swept in a stunning goal just before the break, with the Egyptian then replaced by Firmino in the 67th minute.

Coutinho, who had scored a hat-trick on Wednesday, came on for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the 78th minute - a minute after Everton captain Wayne Rooney had levelled from the penalty spot for his first goal in a Merseyside derby.

“That’s my job. That I make decisions before I know they are right,” said Klopp in a prickly interview with Sky Sports television. “And afterwards it’s your job to say I‘m not right, no problem with that.”

“Yes, I was sure this was the right decision. We brought Roberto Firmino on for Mo Salah. We could have scored before, we could have scored afterwards, we could have scored all the time. We lived more or less in their box,” added the German. “And obviously we didn’t do it. I have to take that. I have no problem with that.”

Liverpool’s next outing is a relatively comfortable-looking home match against relegation-threatened West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday.

In Klopp’s defence, Liverpool saw their title challenge collapse in January last year with numerous injuries and the manager will want to avoid a similar occurrence with Champions League knockout games to come. A point from a match that always fires up the local passions was hardly a disaster and Liverpool at least continued two fine runs of form.

Klopp’s side are now unbeaten in 10 games in all competitions, and stretched their unbeaten run against Everton in all competitions to a record-equalling 15 games. Everton have not won at Anfield since 1999.