Liverpool faced a tough encounter with Tottenham on Saturday, but there was no place for captain Jordan Henderson in midfield for the Reds.
The 28-year-old was eased back into the line-up in the opening four games of the Premier League campaign after his exploits at the World Cup with England earlier this summer.
Having gone on international duty again during the break, Klopp has evidently decided that it’s best for his side to rest his captain and go with Naby Keita instead against Spurs.
“We need him so much and I don’t think it makes sense at the moment to play him day in, day out,” he is quoted as saying by The Sun. “He is still adapting a bit to the intensity and he needs his full physical strength.”
Particularly given Liverpool will be in action again in midweek when they face Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League opener on Tuesday night, the German tactician certainly has to use the quality and depth at his disposal this season in order to compete on multiple fronts.
In turn, although Henderson will undoubtedly be disappointed to miss out on such a big game at Wembley, it would come as no surprise if he returns against PSG and gradually becomes a more prominent figure as the weeks progress.
Perhaps with his fitness not quite where it needs to be just yet, Klopp has taken a sensible decision to keep him out and avoid any injury setbacks with the likes of Keita, James Milner and Georginio Wijnaldum more than capable of ensuring that he isn’t a glaring absentee.
Time will tell though if the Liverpool boss deems Henderson ready to start against PSG, as they’ll be keen to get off to a positive start in Europe.