FA Cup

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FA Cup | Third Round

Jan 8, 2017 at 1.30pm UK

Liverpool
0-0
Plymouth Plymouth Argyle

Jurgen Klopp defends selection policy following goalless draw

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 08 January 2017

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp insists that his side would have had trouble breaking down Plymouth Argyle even if they had fielded their strongest side.

Jurgen Klopp has defended his decision to make mass changes to his starting lineup for Liverpool's goalless draw with Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup.

The Reds made 10 changes from their 2-2 draw with Sunderland last time out, naming their youngest-ever side for the uneventful third-round tie at Anfield.

Liverpool had 28 attempts in all but failed to truly test Argyle keeper Luke McCormick across the 90 minutes, meaning a replay at Home Park in a little over a week's time - one of nine fixtures for them in January.

Speaking after the match, Klopp told BT Sport: "They created small spaces and we made our own problems. A game like this is not easy to make exciting. We had a young side so that's difficult. We can do better and if we do better then we have a good chance of making the next round.

"With our other lineup it could be possible that the result was still the same. Not likely but possible. It was a good experience for the boys."

Liverpool, whose starting lineup had an average age of just 21 years and 296 days, now turn their attention to the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final against Southampton in midweek.