90min

Liverpool to Keep Fielding Full-Strength Side Even After Wrapping Up Premier League Title

By Jude Summerfield

Liverpool FC v Atletico Madrid - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Second Leg
Liverpool FC v Atletico Madrid - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Second Leg / DeFodi Images/Getty Images
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Liverpool will continue to use their full-strength side for the remainder of the Premier League season - should it restart - and will inform the rest of the competition's teams of that position if the topic comes up during Monday's meeting.

A number of key issues, varying from neutral venues to an agreed fixture list and broadcaster concerns, will be discussed ahead of a mooted return to action in June.

According to the Times, suggestions that former Borussia Dortmund boss Klopp would not select strong XIs for the remainder of the campaign have left Anfield officials 'bemused', which makes sense.

Liverpool FC v Everton FC - FA Cup Third Round
Liverpool FC v Everton FC - FA Cup Third Round / Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

It's thought that Liverpool fielding a younger side in any fixture would give a potential relegation-threatened side an advantage in the fight to avoid the drop. Of the teams the Anfield side still have to play, only Aston Villa and Brighton would fall into that category.

The Premier League title may be all-but won, with the Reds a mighty 25 points clear of second place Manchester City and needing just two more wins to secure the inevitable, but one top flight official is said to be concerned due to Liverpool's previous use of their youth stars.

Young sides were fielded in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup as Liverpool fought on multiple fronts. That plan worked for the most part, even though Klopp came in for criticism for supposedly disrespecting the cup competitions, before the Reds came unstuck at Aston Villa and Chelsea.

Chelsea FC v Liverpool FC - FA Cup Fifth Round
Chelsea FC v Liverpool FC - FA Cup Fifth Round / Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images

However, the report claims such a tactic has not crossed Klopp's mind and it will be communicated on Monday should the issue arise.

Klopp's side could still go down as the greatest ever in the Premier League - from a mathematical view, anyway - should they surpass Manchester City's tally of 100 points set in the 2017/18 season. There are a further 27 points available to Liverpool, who still have fixtures against City, Arsenal and Chelsea to complete.