No Klopp In Liverpool’s FA Cup Replay Match? Here’s What He Said After Shocking 2-2- Draw To League One Side

Liverpool FC boss Jurgen Klopp has made it clear that first-team players will not be involved in their replay FA Cup match against Shrewsbury Town.

The Reds surrendered a 2-0 lead after they allowed the League One side to draw the match at 2-2 Sunday.

Various leagues around the globe take a few weeks off over Christmas but until last season, the Premier League did not have any such mid-break concept. To provide their players with a break from the physical and mental severity of playing matches during the season, Premier League has introduced a winter break.

After the latest rounds of FA Cup, at least four Premier League side need replays, which are scheduled for Feb. 4 and 5. That meant, they will cut into the new mid-season break which is set to happen between Feb. 2 and 16.

Speaking about Liverpool’s winter break and replay FA Cup match, Klopp said he and the first-team players will not be involved.

“I said to the boys already two weeks ago that we will have a winter break, which means we will not be there. You cannot deal with us as nobody cares about it. I know that it's not very popular but that's the way I see it. The Premier League asked us to respect the winter break. That's what we do. If the FA doesn't respect that, then we cannot change it. We will not be there,” he added.

In his absence, Klopp confirmed that reserve coach Neil Critchley, who took charge of the League Cup quarter-final loss to Aston Villa in December while the first team was playing the FIFA Club World Club Cup in Qatar, will again be in charge.

"We have to respect the players' welfare. They need a rest. They need a mental rest, a physical rest, and that's what the winter break is all about. We had to make these decisions beforehand because these boys have families,” the German manager further explained in a post-match interview Sunday.