Liverpool FA Cup replay hands Jurgen Klopp winter break headache while Takumi Minamino fails to shine

Even Jurgen Klopp is going to find it hard to argue that he does in fact respect the FA Cup after this result.

Selecting a team featuring a mix of kids and recently fit-again first teamers can be excused when you win, but any other result will attract deserved criticism.

And the manner in which this 2-2 draw came about certainly won’t help Klopp’s case with those who believe he doesn’t care for the world’s oldest cup competition.

The Reds had barely created a chance en route to an undeserved two-goal lead, but you at least expected them to do the right thing and see it out.

Of course, they could not, and had you asked Klopp for his preferred outcome at 2-2 with 15 minutes of normal time remaining, he would have plumped for anything over a draw and replay.

Unfortunately for the German, he forfeited the right to have any say in such things with a gamble of a selection at New Meadow, and now must make preparations for an Anfield meeting with the Shrews as a result.

Klopp facing winter break headache

Liverpool will enjoy their first ever Premier League winter break following next weekend’s meeting with Southampton at Anfield.

And Klopp had planned to make the most of that by giving his players a full week off, rather than heading to warmer climes for a training camp as they have in the past.

Now, though, the Reds must fit in an FA Cup replay bang in the middle of what would have been the players’ hard-earned time off.

Quite how their coach goes about giving his squad some much-needed rest and also fulfilling that fixture will be interesting to see.

Fabinho a long way from his best

While Liverpool have won every game during his injury-enforced absence, it was sensible to expect that Fabinho might be knocking on the door of the starting XI soon enough given his pedigree.

However, the Brazilian showed here that he is still a long way from being ready to displace Georginio Wijnaldum or Jordan Henderson from that midfield.

Slow to meet the ball and sloppy in possession, the Reds’ No.3 has not played as poorly as this evening since overcoming a tricky start to his Anfield career.

It seems he will need plenty of time to find his sharpness again after finally getting back to full fitness.

Long way to go for Minamino

Thrown into the ‘B’ team in an unfamiliar position on his first two starts for Liverpool, Takumi Minamino has not had it easy.

But the Japanese will wish he could have shown more after another quiet night in the false nine role against League One opposition this evening.

Minamino is not quite on the same wavelength as his teammates and doesn’t have the physicality to force his way into games that aren’t quite going his way.

And, while he is sure to be an important player for the Reds down the line, it would be fair to say he has had a difficult introduction to life at Anfield.

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