Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has explained his decision to haul off Naby Keita and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The 28-year-old midfielder was booked after 23 minutes. Klopp didn’t want to risk any chances to go down to 10 men so he decided to replace the midfielder at the interval and introduce Harvey Elliott in his place.
Meanwhile, the German manager decided to take off Trent Alexander-Arnold in the second half 19 minutes from the full time.
Klopp on substituting Keita and Trent
The Red’s head coach explains his decision in the press conference
“Naby had an early yellow card and then two fouls, not really bad fouls, but situations that took him out of the game and he couldn’t contact players anymore. That was the reason (he went off).”
While for Trent, Jurgen told Sky Sports.
“Trent plays all the games for us and before the game we thought whether it would be one game too much for him, but he started. The reason (to substitute him) was purely because of that.”
Jurgen Klopp on TAA’s confidence issue
When the Red’s manager was asked if the right-back was suffering a lack of confidence, he responded
“Trent Alexander-Arnold, when he is not performing, everybody is talking about. When he is performing nobody speaks about it apart from when he’s involved in goals. He set up super goals in last two league games.
He is okay. It’s just the amount of games, we took off and he will have a day longer to rest and he will be fine again.“
The Merseyside giants are going through a tough time. They are already out of the FA Cup and the League Cup.
The Reds really need to up their game as the season end approaches. Next up for Liverpool will be an Anfield calling to Wolves in a mid-week Wednesday night clash.
