Jurgen Klopp can inspire young Liverpool at Anfield tonight... over the phone

Tom Doyle4 February 2020

Jurgen Klopp has the option to deliver last-minute words of inspiration to a young Liverpool side before their FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury Town.

Liverpool's Under-23s coach Neil Critchley will once again be handed responsibility of the first team with Klopp and the first team away on their mid-season winter break.

Critchley led his youngsters out in December's Carabao Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa while the seniors were at the Club World Cup in Qatar.

Villa were 4-0 up at half-time, although Critchley says Klopp was watching the game from Qatar and phoned in a message to encourage the young players.

"It was a message that came through, which I have to say was brilliant at that moment," Critchley said.

Getty Images

"Even though we were going off the pitch thinking 'We've played alright there but we're getting beat 4-0', it creates that element of doubt in your mind about whether you are doing the right thing and if you need to do something different.

"So when you get a message from the manager saying 'Don't change anything, carry on doing what you're doing, you've been brilliant', it just clears all that doubt in your mind and you can give that message to the players.

"The message killed every doubt, it settled them right down. It helped everyone at that moment.

"That option is available (on Tuesday), yes. But that's up to the manager. Another great quality of the manager is he trusts people to do their job.

"The best support he gives the players is he gives them a chance and an opportunity.

In Pictures | Shrewsbury vs Liverpool | 26/01/2019

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"I don't know what more support you could wish for as a young player.

"I know there has been a lot spoken going into the game, but there has been total clarity around the decision and we all support the decision. We all follow him because he has earned that."

Additional reporting by PA.

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