Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy says Jurgen Klopp should attend Shrewsbury replay

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Former Liverpool midfielder and BBC pundit Danny Murphy has criticised Jurgen Klopp’s decision not to attend their FA Cup fourth round replay against Shrewsbury.

On TalkSport, Murphy said he agreed with Klopp’s right to rotate his player but did not understand why the German himself feels the need to stay away.

He said: “Rotate your players. But I think he should be there. There isn’t any reason for him not to be at the game. He’s the manager. He’s not running around the pitch every three days. He’s just walking about.

“The impact of being there for those younger lads on the day is massive. Any game where the first team manager is there, or a training session, it makes a difference. It tells you something as a player.”

TBR’s View – Not attending the match would be a step too far from Klopp

Despite the fact some of the Liverpool players returning from injury might benefit from an extra game, Klopp’s decision to make a stand against fixture congestion is based in logic.

He made wholesale changes in a previous round and beat his side’s local rivals so that alone doesn’t disrespect the FA Cup to a ridiculous degree.

But not turning up to the game himself would be an almost unprecedented show of disrespect to the competition and Shrewsbury.

As Murphy said, Klopp doesn’t need the rest himself. Liverpool’s youngsters would have a spring in their step playing under Klopp once more.