I think I’d look at it from a slightly different angle. We used, arguably, out strongest XI on Saturday. If any of those players need to rest for this game because they aren’t quite 100% then so be it. We need to pick the fittest team for the game in hand.
Has anyone got any solid evidence or facts to back up the idea we were jaded and tired against Spurs? If we’d sneaked a last minute winner like we have done against these on a few occasions recently then I don’t think it would have been an issue.
I’m saying this as someone who does think we need to rotate a bit more to give ourselves a better chance in the cups but a lot of it might be unfounded because we only drew.
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I thought it was a very strong performance overall. I did think some players were looking tired towards the end but that was purely due to in-game exhaustion rather than lack of motivation. If you ever read the pre-match threads on here there are games that we romped home that you think we were struggling in and others where we fluked a winner that are seemingly remembered as masterclasses.
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Yeah I thought we played well. Spurs defended very well. Draws happen.
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I thought we played well but Andy looked tired and I think Mane did later in the game, spurs defended well and limited us to 3 shots on goal.
Just rest Mo, at this rate he probably won’t win the GBoot, and it’s not like he’s particularly helping us. A kick up the arse now, and reap the benefits on Saturday.
I think if there’s one player who’s earned the right to play through a bad patch and try to play his way back into form, it’s Mo.
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I’m fine with rotation where needed and going to benefit the team.
Not so keen on it where it resembles throwing the towel in.
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Well we hit 6 against them recently. We lost to WHU away and only beat Wolves in the 91st minute so by comparison these are on paper tougher games.
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As I said Tsimkas, Matip and Firmino if fit are a shoe in, I’d probably put Hendo in the number 6 and maybe rotate Fabinho in if needed later on.
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My thoughts:
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We shouldn’t be resting players when the PL is still a (fairly remote) chance
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We should though be playing fresh players against Villa if Klopp thinks it will bring us the greatest chance of winning
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I don’t like the idea of going into the game to smash them. We need to believe we can find an opening, and of we score, we should try again, and again until the 95’ is up. These players will do that so it’s perhaps not even worth mentioning
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the 4 goal difference in itself doesn’t concern me. City losing a game, which is a requirement to give us a chance, and us having a solid win, almost brings that back to Even Stevens
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the concern is that they’ve put 9 past their last 2 PL opposition. We need a wolves and/or WHU to have a fantastic game and City to have a poor one. And while they are shooting freely that’s a tough ask. WHU have been pretty good at home, but still two draws to me feels more likely than a loss, though both feel fairly remote
It doesn’t feel likely but it’s silly giving up on the season at this point.
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Them drawing two games is a better option than losing one.
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City have a bit of an injury crisis in defense now. Dias and Stones are out, as is Kyle Wanker, all for the remainder of the season.
Both Wolves and West Ham have plenty to play for still. It’s not over yet.
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Allison
Gomez
Konate
VVD
Tsimikas
Fabinho
Thiago
Keita
Salah
Mane
Diaz
Few days till Chelsea, the league isn’t over yet.
We win today, City draw tomorrow and they will be nervy.
The balance is putting out a side capable of beatIng Villa, but resting a few for Saturday.
Alisson
Gomez Matip Van Dijk Tsimikas
Fabinho
Keita Milner
Salah Origi Jota
Gomez Matip Van Dijk Tsimikas
Fabinho
Keita Milner
Salah Origi Jota
That’s what I’d do. There are better players to bring on if we need to.
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Liverpool have beaten Aston Villa 99 times in all competitions, im expecting the 
tonight.
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Don’t love that midfield. Needs either Hendo or Thiago in there. Villa are playing well
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I reckon we see Jones and Gomez getting some minutes, Hendo to start but come off around 60 mins again.
I’d be interested to see how much/far Thiago actually runs per game, he seems a bit like Van Dijk in the sense he can primarily walk/stroll around the park with a few small bursts of intensity over 90mins, which actual injuries aside means he can play a lot of consecutive minutes.