Liverpool refuses to lose – with no senior players

The stage was set for the biggest shocker of the season in the English FA Cup, with heroic League One side Shrewsbury headed to Liverpool for the fourth round replay.

Feisty Shrewsbury had already caused a stir by snatching a draw at home against the Liverpool team featuring many of the Premier League leaders’ senior squad players. Now they were up against a team only comprised of Liverpool’s U23-squad, including the manager, Neil Critchley.

Jürgen Klopp’s decision to sit out the replay with his players was due to a fact that the Premier League is on a winter break, which he wanted to honor. Several of the players were promised a rest and a vacation, and Klopp is not one to go back on his word. The decision was met with only a slight annoyance by the fans on both sides, who would have been eager to see the prospective Premier League winners in action – the stadium was sold out. Many did hope Klopp’s controversial, if understandable, decision to backfire, but that did not happen.

Despite fielding a starting lineup barely averaging 19 years of age, Liverpool looked nearly as good as they have in the Premier League. The team kept Shrewsbury at bay for the whole first half, keeping 66% of the possession and giving the visitors a hard time by constant pressure. It was all even heading to the half though, but Liverpool were in control.

Shrewsbury got into the game in the second half, but still failed to record a shot on goal. Unlucky own goal on the 75th minute then led them to their demise and sent the sold-out Anfield into the raptures. The League One side missed an opportunity of a lifetime, but the Liverpool youngsters played admirably and showed, that perhaps the manager’s presence is not that crucial after all.

Liverpool will face Chelsea in the fifth round of the FA Cup on 4th of March at Stamford Bridge. Liverpool is 22 points clear on top of the Premier League and playing in the Champions League knockout stages as well.