Liverpool vs Tottenham in the EFL Cup is already being billed as Jurgen Klopp vs Mauricio Pochettino.
While neither manager will be prioritising the competition, it’s always an entertaining spectacle seeing two of the Premier League’s most promising coaches go head-to-head, mimicking each other’s pressing style of play.
That’s also not the only thing they have in common. Neither Klopp nor Pochettino are afraid to hand young players a chance, and both are likely to put out much-changed sides at Anfield.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ovie Ejaria are both in line to feature for the Reds, while Kevin Stewart, Marko Grujic and Danny Ings are also in contention.
Simon Mignolet is set to take Loris Karius’ place in goal, just as Michel Vorm will replace Hugo Lloris for Tottenham.
Liverpool are benefiting from having no European football this season, whereas for Spurs, this competition is perhaps the only one in which they can afford to rest their stars.
Klopp would no doubt like to win the trophy at the end of it, but most of all, he is relishing the chance to give his youngsters an outing.
We spoke about changing the second team a little bit and a lot of players need to stay here, play together in a really good team, get results, score goals, win games and have the opportunity to train with us,” he said, as per the Guardian.
“The other way is to send them on loan at 17 or 18 years.
“We wanted to keep a lot of these players, play them together, and that was a real decision we made. It’s good for their development and good for us that we can make the decisions about their futures at Liverpool.
“Hopefully we can bring through a few of them in the red shirt of Liverpool at Anfield in the first team. That is the dream of all of us.”
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