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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot admits he has broken with his usual preparation methods by planning for two matches at the same time after naming a weakened squad against PSV Eindhoven.
His Champions League leaders, the only team to win all seven matches, are guaranteed to finish no lower than second and having assessed the potential implications for the last 16 he decided the return to his homeland was a game he could gamble on.
Saturday’s trip to high-flying Bournemouth is the most significant fixture this week as Liverpool look to maintain their six-point lead at the top and for that reason he has left nine of the team who beat Ipswich 4-1 at home.
Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, Ibrahima Konate, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz have all been given Wednesday off in order to have some much-needed downtime, with this the eighth game of nine in 27 days.
Defender Joe Gomez has also remained at home after returning to training having missed seven matches with a hamstring injury.
Slot was asked if he was scared at the prospect of facing the Dutch champions and current Eredivisie leaders without most of his major stars.
“I wouldn’t say I’m scared. It took me while to understand this new format but I am 100 per cent sure it doesn’t matter at all if we end up one or two; the result has no importance,” he said.
“We play PSV and then Bournemouth and then Tottenham (in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final).
“I’m especially working on PSV and Bournemouth and this is exceptional as normally I would only be looking at PSV – but I’m looking at Bournemouth as well.
“All the ones who I left behind could have played tomorrow but if you look back at our season almost every three, four or five weeks we gave them a break if there was a moment to give them some freshness back.
“They will be off tomorrow, if it is possible we prefer to have them off three days before a game but it is not always possible, and a few staff members will go home earlier on Thursday morning to train those that have stayed behind.”
Among the squad of 21 Slot has named are academy players Jayden Danns and Trey Nyoni, both of whom have made first-team appearances this season, Kieran Morrison, Isaac Mabaya, Trent Kone-Doherty, Amara Nallo, James Norris and James McConnell.
It leaves senior players Andy Robertson, Wataru Endo, Kostas Tsimikas, Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa, former PSV forward Cody Gakpo and 21-year-olds Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah bearing the responsibility.
“Because we mainly start with (the same) 13 or 14 players have shared most of the playing time so it is very useful for those that have not played as much to have 90 minutes,” added Slot.
If you look back at our season almost every three, four or five weeks we gave them a break if there was a moment to give them some freshness back
Arne Slot on naming a weakened squad
“Because if we do have injury problems down the line then they will be needed and it helps us for the long term.
“They don’t need to prove themselves, we know the qualities of the players who are going to play tomorrow.
“It would be strange if the group had the same level as other games but they were able to win against Southampton and Brighton in the League Cup.
“And I decided to bring Cody Gakpo. I do think about some sentiment here but he didn’t play against Lille last week.”
Gakpo is returning to Eindhoven, where he spent five years, for the first time since his January 2023 move to Merseyside.
“Pretty strange,” he said when he asked how it would feel.
“I’ve never been in the away dressing room so it will be my first time. But when the game starts I think all those things will fade away and we will be focused on the game and we are going for the win.”
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