Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp continues is fight with the congested fixtures list, this time announcing that he and the Reds first team will snub their upcoming FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury Town.
The Merseyside giants took on the League One side on Sunday and despite marching to a 2-0 first-half lead, the Shrews pulled off a memorable comeback to draw 2-2 and force a replay. Unfortunately, that rematch will be scheduled on February 5 or 6.
This will coincide with the two-week winter break scheduled by the Premier League with the sole aim of handing the English top-flight clubs a breather. Klopp revealed that he will not disrupt the break for that FA Cup fourth-round Anfield game and will thus skip the game entirely, with under-23s coach Neil Critchley and the youngsters set to be handed the reign for the replay.
"We got a letter in April from the Premier League that we should respect the winter break for the players," Klopp said after the game, as per the Daily Mail.
"It's not allowed to organize international friendlies or competitive games. And we respect that.
"I told the boys weeks ago they will have a winter break. You cannot promise everybody time off and then at the end take that away, I cannot work like this. So that is our solution.
"We will not be there, it will be the kids that play that game. I know that's not very popular but that's the way I see it."
A similar arrangement was pulled off for Liverpool’s League Cup clash with Aston Villa. However, the reason for this is that the first-team were pre-occupied by FIFA Club World Cup duty, meaning the kids had to face the Villans. That game ended in a 5-0 defeat for the Reds and they thus bowed out of the competition.
Despite Klopp’s frustration, the Athletic claim the league leaders were made aware that every Premier League club’s winter break could be compromised by an FA Cup replay. Furthermore, this decision could see Liverpool miss out on the treble, with Van Dijk and Co. being the favorites to win the English top-flight and Champions League.
