Jurgen Klopp names Liverpool player who has 'opened the door' to unleashing potential new tactic

Jurgen Klopp has suggested that Andy Robertson could feature in central defence more often for Liverpool in the future.

Robertson has served almost exclusively as a left-back since signing from Hull City in the summer of 2017. The Scotland international has been a key player behind the success delivered under Klopp, helping the club win seven major trophies including the Champions League and Premier League.

However, Robertson was shifted to the middle of the rearguard during Thursday's 6-1 routing of Sparta Prague at Anfield. With Liverpool holding a 9-2 aggregate lead - which would be extended to 11-2 - Joe Gomez was substituted at half-time. With Virgil van Dijk being rested ahead of Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United, along with Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate injured, Robertson switched roles and impressed.

And it's something that has 'opened the door' for Liverpool down the line if they are again short of options. Speaking ahead of the United tie, Klopp told reporters: "We were 4-0 up and 5-1 [from the first leg], so that's the moment when you think, 'OK, we take off now x, y and z.' I don't think we would have played Robbo [Andy Robertson] as a centre-half if it's 0-0 or we are 2-0 down – but he did exceptionally well, by the way, so he's the next one who opened the door for a new position.

"That's the only reason for it. How I said, that's really strange, you cannot believe that you are 4-1 up at half-time and on aggregate obviously 9-2, so even the biggest pessimist would not think that we will not go through to the next round. That was because of that, no other reason. Usually you really have no time and no resources to think about the next game but that's why we did the changes we made."