Jürgen Klopp has cited the need for ‘freshness’ and ‘intensity’ as his reasoning for making six changes to his starting line-up against Stoke City tonight.

Dejan Lovren, Emre Can, Gini Wijnaldum, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane are all included in Liverpool’s team for the clash with the Potters, while Dominic Solanke comes in for his first Premier League start.

Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah are among the Reds’ substitutes, but Ragnar Klavan (illness) and Adam Lallana (minor muscle problem) miss out.

Explaining his selection pre-match, Klopp said: “Raggy is ill, that’s how it is at this time of the year, in late November in the north-west of England - it can happen. 

“And Adam, it’s a minor muscle thing, nothing really serious but he needs a few days to recover from that and then he’s back in training and then in the squad.

“[The team is about] bringing the quality we have on the pitch and bringing freshness. In this period you still need to have intensity in your game and you can have intensity every three days if you make the change, and that’s why we do it. 

“I’m really happy about the line-up, to be honest. I hope we can perform, of course, but I show the faith and the boys show their quality – that would be cool.”