Football 39n3s
Arne Slot Rests Nine First-Team Liverpool Stars For Champions League Clash Vs PSV 5y3j23
After graduating from Kingston University with an upper second-class Honours degree, I learned the ropes in sports journalism starting at Sports Mole before making my way through the ranks at the MailOnline. I started initially as a freelancer before going on to become an assistant sports editor in seven years at the company. Love football, cursed by Spurs and you can catch me watching/falling asleep to the F1 while hungover on a Sunday.
Get to know Sam McEvoy betterPublished28 Jan 2025
Arne Slot has left nine first-team regulars at home for Liverpool’s final Champions League league phase game against PSV.
The Premier League leaders can finish no lower than second in the Champions League table. This has prompted Slot to take the opportunity to rest some of his key stars.
Arne Slot Leaves Nine First-Team Stars At Home For PSV Clash 41231u
With qualification for the knockouts already secured, Slot decided to take no risk with Liverpool’s title charge.
This saw him omit several regulars. Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch, who have started all seven Champions League games this season, have all been left at home. Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz have also been rested.
And Slot believes there is nothing to gain from risking his stars against PSV on Wednesday night.
Arne Slot insisted we will be doing everything to win at PSV, as he explained the rationale for naming a rotated squad for tomorrow’s #UCL tie ⤵️
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 28, 2025
“It has taken me a while to understand this new format,” said the Liverpool head coach: “But I’m now 100% sure it doesn’t matter if you end up first or second because we are guaranteed to play the team that is 15th, 16th, 17th or 18th, and then it’s down to the draw. We can’t drop to third. It has no impact on the league table but we will be trying to win.
“A wise man once said to me he’s never seen anything good come from losing a football game. Thirteen or 14 players have mostly shared the playing time so it will also be good to get other players into a game rhythm because we will need them. The squad is a choice for the long term. Normally we work only on the game ahead but this is an exception. Today I am working on PSV and Bournemouth [who Liverpool visit in the Premier League on Saturday].”
Liverpool’s Team To Include Young Guns For PSV Trip 2b3f61
With so many first-team stars left out, Slot has called up a number of youngsters for the trip to the Netherlands.
Trent Kone-Doherty, an 18-year-old forward, Isaac Mabya and Kieran Morrison and Amara Nallo are among the 21-man travelling squad.
Liverpool have been flawless in the Champions League this season, winning all seven of their league phase games.
The only thing they have left to fight for is bragging rights as Barcelona could knock them off top spot in Gameweek 8.
A draw for Liverpool away at PSV Eindhoven would be enough to secure them top spot. If Liverpool lose, they will still finish top if Barcelona fail to beat Atalanta on home soil.