'A brilliant piece of management from one of the best the game has seen'

Jurgen Klopp's team selection at Fulham was brave, but smart.

Not many managers would make six changes and leave a handful of their best players on the bench during a title run-in.

But the German dropped Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez, Ibou Konate, Alexis Mac Allister and Dom Szoboszlai from the mind-numbingly stale performance against Atalanta on Thursday.

In Italy, the players looked cooked and bereft of ideas, intensity, tempo and - most worryingly - belief.

But what is the point in having a big squad if you do not use it when most of your players are fit and some are underperforming?

Naturally, there was online backlash when the team news came out, but Harvey Elliott assisted Ryan Gravenberch for the decisive goal that put Liverpool 2-1 up.

Jarrell Quansah was faultless at the back and Diogo Jota does what he does best - finishing smartly when a chance presents itself.

Now, Klopp can recall his plethora of superstars for the Merseyside derby - knowing they are well rested, but also having proven to them they cannot rest on their laurels or they will be out of the side.

It was a brilliant piece of management from one of the best the game has seen, even if his trophy haul does not cement that claim.

English football is going to miss him greatly.

Jordan Chamberlain, Empire of the Kop