'The game is too big in Africa' - Jurgen Klopp rested Sadio Mane for Liverpool to avoid chance of injury

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said Sadio Mane was rested for the FA Cup quarter-final win over Nottingham Forest as he did not want to jeopardise Senegal’s chances of World Cup qualification. Mane’s Senegal face Mo Salah’s Egypt this month for a place in the World Cup finals later in the year. Ad/> Salah was absent from the game at the City Ground after aggravating a foot injury, one which is not expected to rule him out for Egypt, but Mane was rested — and Klopp made it clear he wanted the playing field to be level due to the importance of the game for Africa.

The Emirates FA CupCity and Liverpool paired together in blockbuster FA Cup semi-final6 HOURS AGO Klopp angered many in Africa when he said the Africa Cup of Nations was a “little tournament”. He later moved to clarify his words, saying they were ironic, but it caused unrest and he was looking to avoid any sort of incident ahead of the play-offs on March 25 and 29. “Mo felt the foot again from the Brighton game,” Klopp said in a press conference on Sunday.

“[It's] not massive, but it was clear that you would not be in a game like this if you have a little bit of pain here, or there. “There is no chance. In that moment it was clear that we will not use Sadio for the game because the game is too big in Africa.

“I don't want to be twice the one who is doing things like that, which could be misunderstood. “Mo was unavailable, only Sadio we left out.” Lampard accuses his Everton players of lacking «b*******» Every game is a final — Pep wants City to be focused Reflecting on the win over Forest that set up and FA Cup semi-final with Manchester City, Klopp said: “We are in between… we start with Watford, Benfica then City, City, United, Everton. From a Liverpool