Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp has explained the decision to start Fabinho on the bench in their 2-1 EPL defeat to Manchester United on Monday.

Klopp surprisingly dropped the Brazilian from the starting XI and named Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Harvey Elliott in the midfield.

Fabinho only came on the hour after the Reds had gone two goals behind through the strikes of Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford in the 16th and 53rd minute, respectively.

Speaking after the defeat, Klopp explained to the reporters: “We have in the moment five senior midfielders and we have to start with three.

“We could start with two if we would have more attackers but we have only three attackers, so it means we start with three and then we change during the game and it’s like how we want to start.

“And how we want to change, we have to think before the game and that’s the only reason for it. This is not the story of the game as well. It’s just the decision for this game.”

The Reds managed to pull one back through Mohamed Salah’s effort in the 80th minute but could not muster a leveller in the closing stages.

The Anfield side has remained without a win in the season thus far, having drawn the other two games.

Asked if there are ‘issues that need to be fixed’ within the team, Klopp added:

“I realise now, I didn’t even see it, but I think it [the question] is about an argument on the pitch or whatever, shouting at each other and these kind of things.

“We don’t have any kind of issues; I have not any kind of issues in the team like this. That nobody is happy after you lose a game is completely normal, but this is not an explanation, not an excuse or whatever.

“It’s all fine there, in this department.”