I think this is an important game as we can give the returning players some game time and rhythm and also a chance to go deeper into the competition. Klopp confirmed Adrian will start. Not sure if minamino will play because he played the majority of the wolves game but I'd like to see this team.

Adrian
Williams Matip Lovren Larouci

Lallana Fabinho Chirevilla

Elliot Origi Jones

It could be a dodgy pitch... and there could be some ole fashioned 'English' tackles flying around. Might not be worth risking Fabinho.

If we lose today with the young guns playing i won't even be upset as then we have more time for epl and cl. Can see Fab playing last 30 minutes or so.

So u don't want a treble or a double? This is a very special season, why just stop at winning the league when we can make it extra special? Odd

Minamino should play, he has rested a lot

I'm not sure if I'd risk Lovren or Matip either, we know what they are like for picking up injuries! dodgy pitch and lower league opposition is not good for them.

Of course i want it all but epl and cl are the main thing. Otherwise we would play our best today also. So losing out in fa cup is the smallest problem.

We can't wrap them up in cotton wool all the time, these are the games that our fringe stake a claim for 1st team duties / bench.

I'd go with:

Adrian

Williams Lovren Matip Larouchi

Fabinho

Lallana Keita

Elliot Jones

Origi

Score prediction:

Shrewsbury 0 v 3 Liverpool

LFC: Adrian; Williams, Matip, Lovren (c), Larouci; Fabinho, Chirivella, Jones; Elliott, Origi, Minamino.

SUBS: Kelleher, Keita, Firmino, Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Hoever, Alexander-Arnold.

I have high hopes for Minamino

That is a strong bench, I'm a bit surprised tbh.

Not anymore it seems from the comment in the shout box.

Well played Shrewsbury, money spinning replay for them.
Let's face it this was our lowest priority The FA Cup with largely different personnel who've not played together in a serious game, that there is a level playing field.

It was a bit strange that Klopp decided to sub on Salah and Firmino.

That means he wants to win the FA Cup.

What does he do in the replay now? Starts his best available XI or put new trust on the kids/fringe players?

Going out at Anfield against a League 1 side would be a major k*ckup, so what will he do?

Klopp says only the youngsters will play the replay

The team that got beat 5-0.by villa will play.

With Neil Critchley managing. The senior players will have a week off.

Yeah, saw that info too a bit later.

That decision does make some sense after all, and also explains why he subbed some first teamers on to try and save the FA Cup run.

Well never mind, we've got bigger fish to fry.

I thought it was strange Klopp was bringing on Salah & Firmino, why risk them, this probably explains it, I still think he should not have risked bringing them on, could easily have pulled a muscle coming on in a cold game which was frenetic at the end.

Surely the likes of Jones/Shaq/Origi/Keita who haven't been regular first teamers and have not played lots of games should be able to play the replay? the replay would do them good to give them a run out?

I think Klopp can fk off with that mentality. Boo hoo you already planned your holidays who gives a [oops], you have a game to play, to represent the club badge, you don't run away and once again give up on another competition. There is absolutely no excuses to just forfeit this competition when we can make a historic season by winning a double or a treble. What will everyone say about our club now? How will the fa react, they could ban us for a few years for example. A lot of bad press will follow this decision, why do we need bad press and negativity in this fantastic season? I think Henderson and the senior players need to tell klopp they will not accept that decision and roll their sleeves up and earn their wages. This has been a flawless season so man up, pick a competitive team and play instead of whining and crying about it. The whole world will have their knives out if we repeat the Villa team selection.

To be fair to Klopp, if there�s a winter �break� that�s what it should be. No games should be scheduled then. Not even a replay.

But as said above, we can pick the likes of Origi, Shaq etc. So not all the first team but plenty to beat them while still resting the important first team players.

Its unacceptable either way you look at it regardless of the break, players like shaq, milner, keita, matip, lovren, fabinho etc have been on holiday with injuries for months so why can't they play?, its Klopp's and the players fault for letting a 2 goal lead slip but you do not just lie down and accept defeat by playing kids in the replay. The trophy is right there in front of us for the taking so why not go for it? It's not right, and Klopp needs to get off his high horse and get his ego checked, were not the only club, 5 other ties will be replayed.

The kids beat Everton. Are they not capable of beating Shrewsbury? He wants to give the first team the promised break, a break sanctioned by the FA so players don�t burn out in an already hard season. Nothing wrong with Klopp upholding that promise as the FA should anyway.

No they didn't. He is talking about the villa squad which lost 5-nil to villa coached by Critchley. The only player that played the everton game from that squad was Elliot. The team that beat Everton had Adrian, Gomez, Milner, Lallana Origi, Minamino so it wasn't just kids, they were supplemented by senior players. Klopp's comments suggest he will play the villa squad which is suicidal imo, they aren't capable of beating seasoned pros no matter how bad they are.

Well we�ll have to wait and see who he plays. At least he�s putting a team out unlike Utd that year they were in the world club cup. I�d rather the kids play and save the first teams legs for the league which is by far the biggest priority.

Yes of course we will see, but if it's the team that got demolished by villa I will boycott the game, if the club and manager abandons ship like that why should I waste my time watching us lose at Anfield?

That�s your prerogative. There�s plenty that will still watch. And there�s plenty that won�t care if it keeps players fresh for the run in to the possible title win, me included.

Yes he could play our bench warmers but he wants holidays as well, so looks like it's going to be the teenagers with their coach. In any case don't think we can't win the cup unless we play our first team players which will not happen with the number of games we still have to play so no big fuss.

The FA Cups still got a little magic left, unlike the coca cola cup.

We can put a decent team out since the squads nearing injury free at a crucial time. Shaq, Keita, Lallana, Milner maybe, Origi, Lovren, Matip, even Ox. Playing Bobby for the first 45 won't kill him. Should be enough to put the game to bed early.

I am also in the camp of playing a decent team for this game. If we were head to head with city for the title maybe not but a 16 point possible 19 point lead means high high probability we will win the title and early too. Champions League could go eitherway and the FA would be another honour to go at back end of the season should we go out of CL

First teamers need both a physical and mental break, so for sure Bobby wont play, not even Milner and Ox, maybe Origi and Lallana, though looks like Klopp doesn't want them to play neither, a holiday is a holiday and they have already booked their flights and hotel

Klopp is absolutely spot on with this. A holiday is a holiday. All senior players should get it and this could well include Jones, Williams, Minamino and Elliott. Perhaps there are a few like Shaqiri, Keita, Lallana, Origi, Matip, Milner, Fabinho, Lovren (ok perhaps not Lovren) who WANT to play in this replay for their own match fitness.

But Klopp is right about having a break. It was put into the calendar by the FA and all clubs were asked to observe it and not arrange other games etc.

Having built that in why on earth did they not scrap the replays for 4th round games? There won't be any replays for the 5th round ties which for the first time are being played in midweek.

So in actual fact there is not really a week off as such because for teams in the 5th round of the cup they will be playing every weekend in the PL. That game being midweek is just shoehorned into the schedule.

Replays from 5th round onwards have been scrapped because there is probably an agreement with UEFA that no other high level competitions should take place in a midweek where there are CL and Europa league ties being played. This was certainly the case a few years ago and I seem to remember we played a local derby in the PL on a Monday night and the PL had to get permission to have that game played as there were UEFA competition games on the following 3 nights.

What Klopp is doing is taking a stand against the English footballing governing bodies as they were not much help when we were trying to stay in the Carabao Cup and play in the World Club Cup. He has said he won't even be at the game. Again the FA are the ones fully responsible for this and it was all totally avoidable.

I hope that there are a few more clubs who will follow his lead. If they don't they won't have much of a leg to stand on when it comes to complaining about fixture pile ups during Christmas and New Year and the weeks that follow.

The Football League devalued their competition by not allowing us to play on another date. The FA have done the same now. Of course the eventual winners (could still be us) won't worry about how they came to win it but it really needs other clubs to follow us (even those outside of the PL) if clubs are going to be taken seriously.

The FA and Football League took a gamble that we would not get so far in the Carabao Cup. The FA took a risk that so many 4th round games would go to replays.

It really is shoddy planning at best. At worst it is blatantly careless.

I know a lot of people would not agree with what Klopp is doing but if you want us to win the PL and smash a few records along the way something has to give. We cannot have it all.

Yeah I'm not up to speed on this holiday. It does beg the question why the replays were scheduled for that week?

In that case I agree with players like Bobby and Ox staying away, but I still hope we play a semi-decent team, maybe give a few fringe players a chance. Players want to play. It's still a nice competition to win so I hope we don't throw away the chance being stubborn.

But who would manage them, Klopp is off on holidays and probably his staff

Chelsea away if we get through. Don't think Klopp would put a real team out for that game anyway.

Neil Critchley is taking charge of the team, sounds like Klopp has decided no first team squad members will take part, so that includes the likes of Jones/Adrian/Shaq/Lovren/Lallana etc.

I get the point Klopp is trying to make about resting the first team, by all means rest Bobby/Hendo/Salah/Robbo/TAA/VvD/Allison etc, but players like Shaq/Lovren/Keita/Lallana/Jones who need competitive games to get sharp/remain sharp, these are mainly playing squad games/training, but that is not as good as a competitive game to get match fit, look at Lovren, he's been back from injury around 6 weeks, so has trained allot and he looked off the pace for the match yesterday. Surely the fringe squad players who have been injured and not played much this season could play, they don't really need resting like the first team regulars?

Also, we have a great lead in the PL, if we maintain any real form we will win it, probably with a significant amount of games left, we have the CL in a few weeks, Athletico is a really difficult draw, it would not be a massive shock if they knocked us out, come the start of March we could just be in the PL, it would be a real shame to have not bothered with the FA Cup and been knocked out by playing the U23's when we have players who want to and could play.

I understand where Klopp is coming from, but You also need to take into consideration:

1) What replays in general mean to clubs like Shrewsbury. This game at Anfield will pay for an upgraded draining system for their pitch I heard. Isn't that something good for football?

2) How Adri�n must feel about this decision. Probably played his last game for this season yesterday. Would it have been so bad to ask/pick 3-4 senior players (like Adri�n, Lovren, Matip, Shaq, Lallana, Keita just to name a few) to accompany 14-15 youngsters and have a real go at Anfield?

Isn't it a sad indictment of the FA that lower league sides have to rely upon what is in effect a lottery, with an FA Cup draw against a big club to pay for training grounds/stadium improvements, with all the money from the deals for TV/Sponsors etc, clubs should not have to rely on that to run.

The money from the deals for TV/sponsors etc doesn't go to the FA but the EPL which is then distributed to the clubs in huge chunks, this is why the EPL clubs are among the richest. This could be changed but the the EPL clubs would get less money and wont be happy as they will not be able to compete against the likes of Real and Barca.

Well the same could be said about any money stream coming over any club then.

What about our CL run the last 2 years. Hasn't that helped our club to pay for the revamped main stand?

Also, in the next round of the FA Cup, Shrewsbury will face Chelsea - if they manage to win against our junior team.

What about that lottery win?

Adrian

Williams
Hoever
Lovren/Matip
Laroucci

Keita/fabinho
Jones
Chirivella

Elliot
Origi
Minamino


Players need a break. But these players have hardly had a strenuous season.

Adrian Hoever Williams Elliot Jones etc. Would love to keep playing.

No point in resting players that don't need resting. Half of them are children living at home I don't think they need a family holiday or whatever.

I think Klopp wants to make a point

I'd prefer if we Try to win this replay and progress in this competition, given our current massive lead in the PL. However, Klopp has earned the right to make the decisions and be supported by us fans while doing so IMO. Therefore I'm backing Klopp against the FA who broke their own request to clubs not to arrange fixtures in this break, yet have done so despite the congestion in our upcoming schedule. The FA are just a bunch of f***heads, while Klopp is a brilliant manager and allround good egg, I'm fully behind him this season.

I think that sums it up quite well. He is getting a lot of support from other clubs too.

I don't see why not, it's not like everyone's in desperate need of a sunny break. Surely some want to play and can fly out later/fly back early.. That team should be enough at Anfield.

Klopp's earned all our respect and backing but decisions are still allowed to be questioned. We'd all like an FA Cup run and I hope we don't get knocked out at home by Shrewsbruy just to make a point.

A lot of fuss about nothing on us playing a weakened TEAM for the Shrewsbury FA Cup replay. How many times have PL teams played weakened sides in Cup comps in the past without any guidance or recommendation from the PL or FA?

We entered this seasons FA Cup with our cards clearly shown in picking largely young kids and fringe players in our win at Anfield v Everton. Again maybe with one or 2 more senior players we played a weakened team at Shrewsbury at the weekend.

The PL have organized a winter break for PL teams, this was known at the start of this season. It wasn't as if this was just thrust on everybody and yet The FA then decide to throw a spanner in the works by demanding FA Cup replays be played when that winter break occurs. Madness that The PL & FA couldn't have communicated with each other about this winter break when it was first being talked about to stop conflicts like this from happening.

This is a clusterf.cuk created by both The PL & FA!

Making a point is very important and the under 23 coach needs to play players he knows well, so don't think he can just take a couple senior players and just fit them in his team and system, can he?

Against Shrewsbury I think we need some men on the pitch. Not just young boys.

But I guess that ship has sailed.

From what Klopp said I'd be surprised to see a single senior player on the pitch.

I think Minamino who's had a break and the players that have been injured: Matip, Milner, Lovren, Lallana Fabinho, Keita, and Shaqiri should play, as they could really use some minutes to get match fit, but that's just me.

---Kelleher

Williams Lovren Matip Louroucci

---------Fabinho

----Keita/Milner Jones

Eliot Minamino/Origi Shaqiri/Lallana

That team should be more than good enough, and most of those players need game time anyway.

Rest the likes of Salah, Mane, Henderson Gomez, Alisson, VVD, Trent, Robbo, Gini, Ox, Firmino, etc.

That would mean first team squad players to play and no days off for Klopp as well. Klopp doesn't want that. Don't know if Critchley would be comfortable with most players he has not coached. In any case, the cups are not a priority for Klopp and LFC.

I'd have thought any coach within LFC's set up would be playing the same system Klopp plays, otherwise they'll struggle if they ever get a chance in the first team. I'm sure he knows the first teamers pretty well and they're good enough to adapt if needed.

I don't think anyone was 'that' bothered about the FA Cup until we stormed the league. Injuries are clearing and the squads looking strong, and it's been a while since we had a nice sunny May day out. A league and cup double has a lovely dominant ring to it.

If they've ballsed up the winter break, they'll know it, clubs can write to complain and it can be amended next season.