Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp paid the price for playing the youngest side ever for the club as the Reds were held to a draw, while Chelsea cruised in the FA cup.
The German wanted to rest his senior players from a long midweek distraction down the south west. But the youngsters were unable to fire Liverpool to a win which has forced a FA cup replay at Plymouth.
Klopp threw on star men Daniel Strurridge, Roberto Firmino and Adam Lallana but the Plygrims held out for a replay tie.
MATCH FACTS
1: Liverpool named their youngest ever starting XI, averaging 21 years and 296 days.
2:Plymouth were aiming to make it lucky seven. Six lower league teams have knocked Liverpool out of the Cup already this millennium.
3:Loris Karius is desperate for a good display to force his way back as first choice but Plymouth were so poor in the opening half the keeper didn’t touch the ball once.
3:Loris Karius is desperate for a good display to force his way back as first choice but Plymouth were so poor in the opening half the keeper didn’t touch the ball once.
Jurgen Klopp after the match: “I made the decisions and the changes I did, it is for others to criticise.”
“We needed to be patient and to do things differently. We will try again in the replay, if we win, great, if we don’t then we didn’t deserve it.”
Plymoth manager Derek Adams shared his thoughts: “It would have been really naive from a manager’s point of view to tell my players to go out there and play up against Liverpool.”
“Overall we are delighted to take them back to Plymouth.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea brushed past Peterborough with an emphatic 4-1 victory at Stamford Bridge.
Pedro opened the scoring for the Blues with a right footed curler that found the net. Antonio Conte rotated his squad for the cup tie after horror defeat to Spurs.
Michy Batshuayi got second for Chelsea when Ruben Loftus Cheek coolly guide the ball in the path of the Belgian.
Chelsea were soon three to the good when Willian pulled a marvelous shot beating the Peterborough keeper. John Terry received his marching orders after a clear foul on Lee Angol.
Peterborough sparked the moment with a Tom Nichols goal but Pedro seized the opportunity by scoring his second and Chelsea’s fourth to seal the contest.