This evening, Liverpool cruised to the Europa League quarterfinals while maintaining complete control.
Taking a 5-1 advantage entering the second leg at Anfield, it was always going to be an easy night for the Reds. In the end, comfy wasn’t quite accurate. Liverpool was ahead from the start, leading by almost 14 minutes. 4-0 ahead. Good luck with your evening.
The Reds were ahead 6-1 going into the last 20 minutes or so of play. 11-2 overall. It has been a while since the tie was finished. Still, Jurgen Klopp decided it was appropriate to substitute captain Virgil van Dijk for the last few minutes of play. But according to Steve McManaman, a TNT Sports pundit, some people will doubt the manager’s choice.
It appears like Virgil van Dijk will play! That’s rather unexpected, isn’t it?” the former winger for Liverpool remarked.
“Jurgen Klopp has never been dependable before? The manager is obviously not sentimental at all. He’s planning on playing everyone for a certain amount of time on Sunday. He isn’t dressing any of the children.
“If he needs minutes and the manager believes he needs minutes, then this is the professional thing to do. People will question why if he gets injured.”
Van Dijk is questioned by McManaman.
Klopp’s decision to include his captain in the mix did seem a little odd given how easily Liverpool was winning.
The most peculiar aspect of it all was probably how Van Dijk entered the game in an odd right-sided center-back position with left-sided counterpart Andy Robertson.Even if Klopp made an unneeded substitution, we can sort of understand why he did it.
Right now, the Reds are really gaining ground. In football, you have to do all in your power to keep that. especially when the season is almost over.The manager may have upset the rhythm they’ve worked so hard to establish if he had rested too many of his veteran players for the entire match.
It wouldn’t have mattered even if there had been an easy victory. It’s possible that the momentum was lost.
We thus obtain it from Jurgen. Just as Robertson, Mohamed Salah, and Dominik Szoboszlai didn’t need to play 90 minutes, Van Dijk wasn’t necessary either. All of it helps, though.
In particular, Salah and Szoboszlai ought to be fully prepared for Sunday’s cup match against Manchester United. Regarding Van Dijk, he was prepared whatsoever, but taking a walk around Anfield never hurt anyone. Individuals shouldn’t be asking too many questions.
