Coach Juergen Klopp’s decision to field Liverpool’s youngest ever team backfired as the Premier League title contender was held 0-0 at home by fourth-tier Plymouth in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday.
With games coming thick and fast during the festive season and a midweek trip to Southampton looming in the first leg of the League Cup semifinals, Klopp made 10 changes from the team that drew 2-2 with Sunderland on Monday.
But instead of keeping players rested for other competitions, Klopp now faces an unwanted replay at Plymouth’s Home Park stadium, around 470 kilometers (292 miles) from Anfield.
“It’s not the result we wished obviously but it’s not frustrating because that’s football,” Klopp told BT Sport. “We go to Plymouth for the first time in my life, all good.”
Liverpool is in second place in the Premier League and well positioned to challenge for the title. Plymouth is second, too, but in the far less glamorous League Two. Despite this it still seemed a risky move by Klopp to select a team with an average age of 21 years, 296 days.