'Wonderful' star axed, £120k-p/w gem starts: Klopp must make big LFC call v Inter - opinion

This is part of The Transfer Tavern’s Talking Tactics series, where we analyse two changes the manager should make in their upcoming fixture.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp could have a bold call to make when he selects his starting line-up for the Reds’ Champions League round of 16 second leg lash with Inter Milan.

The Reds host the Serie A champions on Tuesday night, having prevailed 2-0 at the San Siro in the first leg last month.

While Liverpool clearly have one foot in the quarter-finals, the tie is far from dead and buried, with the Champions League always capable of producing dramatic, unpredictable nights – as Kopites know very well from recent years.

Klopp is sure to field a strong starting line-up at Anfield, but there is one big player he should consider leaving on the substitutes’ bench.

While this may cause controversy with some, Mohamed Salah could be in line for a timely rest, having cut a jaded figure since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations a month ago.

Gary Lineker has hailed the 29-year-old as ‘wonderful‘, and the Egyptian is among the best footballers on the planet. However, he has too often found himself on the periphery of post-AFCON matches, failing to affect the Carabao Cup win over Chelsea and also cutting a frustrated figure against West Ham on Sunday, being substituted in the second half.

In fact, Salah has only scored once from open play in the Premier League since netting away to Chelsea on January 2nd – a well-taken strike at home to Norwich City – and those four relentless extra time periods and penalty shoot-outs in Cameroon may be taking their toll on him.

Affording Salah a breather tomorrow night will hopefully allow him to recharge his batteries ahead of Saturday’s trip to