Liverpool leave 12 players out of Champions League squad as Arne Slot explains changes
Liverpool leave 12 players out of Champions League squad as Arne Slot explains changes
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Arne Slot decided to rest some of his key Liverpool stars for their final Champions League game of this stage because they don’t need to secure top spot. The Reds head coach wanted to give big stars like Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah a rest after seven wins from seven so far in Europe meant they could be afforded such a luxury ahead of tomorrow night’s final game against PSV Eindhoven.
Slot said: “It has taken me a while to understand this new format but I’m now 100 per cent sure it doesn’t matter if you end up first or second because we are guaranteed to play the team that is 15th, 16th, 17th or 18th, and then it’s down to the draw.
“We can’t drop to third. It has no impact on the league table but we will be trying to win. A wise man once said to me he’s never seen anything good come from losing a game.”. Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Luis Diaz, Joe Gomez, Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones were all left at home along with Salah and Van Dijk.
It gives them extra rest ahead of a tricky away trip to Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday as the Reds look to maintain their six-point lead at the top of the table. They cannot fall below third in Europe and a point at PSV will secure top spot.
