Jurgen Klopp has urged his Liverpool squad to push each other hard for places in the first team throughout the season, saying that he will pick his side for each game based entirely on who he thinks will give the Reds their best chance of winning.
He ruled out rotating his side in order to give players more frequent rests, admitting that while he was disappointed by Liverpool's failure to qualify for European football last season, an extended break between games would be a small silver lining.
? "It's nothing about rotation."
The boss reveals his plans for the new season: https://t.co/4ZEvioIddj pic.twitter.com/d6OlAcuTL3
Speaking to the club's magazine, he said: "When we lost the Europa League final, there was absolutely nothing worthwhile about it, just a load of disappointment. In the end the only positive thing about not playing European football this year is that we have more time to train and that is what we have to use, 100 per cent.
"That's why we need to create a very strong team in the best understanding of the word "?team'. We need to have competition. We need a situation where the players push themselves and each one pushes the other for each position and wants to be in the team because you have time to recover.
? Jürgen Klopp reacts to drawing @burtonalbionfc in the #EFLCup second round...
?: https://t.co/Yf3BUmb8G6 pic.twitter.com/XZwlvx7NDh
"So it's not that you have to change the team a lot between two Saturday games or two Sunday games - it's nothing about rotation. It's about: "?OK, who is ready now? Who is ready to perform how we need in each specific game?'"?
Klopp's Reds will face off against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, being thrown straight into the deep end with a trip to the home of last season's Premier League runners-up. The Gunners do, though, have serious injury and fitness concerns which could see them playing without a first-choice striker or their usual centre-backs.
For more from Chris when he's not writing on 90min, follow him on Twitter at @ThatChris1209!"?
"?"?