Jurgen Klopp has opted to bench some of his key players for Liverpool’s meeting with Newcastle on Saturday afternoon.
Liverpool head into the St. James' Park clash looking to go top of the Premier League table, even if it is only for a few hours.
Should the Reds draw with or beat the Magpies, they will surpass Manchester City, who will be in action against Leeds United in the day’s late kick-off.
Getting one over on Newcastle is no easy task, though. Eddie Howe has transformed St. James’ Park into a fortress, with the Magpies now seven league games unbeaten at home.
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Liverpool also had to contend with a gruelling Champions League clash with Villarreal on Wednesday, and will have had just over 24 hours' less rest than Man City, who took on Real Madrid this past Tuesday.
Salah & Alexander-Arnold benched vs Newcastle
As a result, it is not too surprising to see Jurgen Klopp make a couple of changes this afternoon.
However, given how important the Newcastle tie is, it is somewhat odd that Klopp has chosen to bench both Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Salah is Liverpool’s top scorer and top assist provider in the league this term, with Alexander-Arnold just one assist behind the Egyptian.
Will Klopp’s decision come back to bite his side in the title race? Only time will tell, but it is a call that will no doubt bring a smile to the faces of Manchester City's fans.
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