Jurgen Klopp hits back at his critics after third-string Liverpool side beat Everton in FA Cup third round

Jurgen Klopp said his young Liverpool team’s 1-0 FA Cup third-round victory over Merseyside rivals Everton was the perfect response to his critics.

The Reds boss faced criticism for his apparent lack of respect for the world’s oldest football competition as he rested the majority of his first-team stars, making nine changes to his starting XI.

He handed debut starts to new signing Takumi Minamino and 22-year-old defender Nat Phillips – brought back from a loan spell at Stuttgart to play in the game – while there were three teenagers named in the line-up, which had value of just £43.9million at kick-off.

The number of the teens on the pitch soon became four, as James Milner was forced off after nine minutes and replaced by 19-year-old Yasser Larouci. Milner handed the armband to Adam Lallana, who had more appearances for the club than the rest of the side put together.

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But the youthful Reds showed why Klopp put his faith in them by sealing a 1-0 victory over their blue rivals.

The winner was scored in sensational style by one of the club’s teen stars, too, with 18-year-old local boy Curtis Jones, who curled the ball into the top corner from outside of the box.

And Klopp issued a strong response to anyone claiming his team selection disrespected the FA Cup.

“We never take it for granted,” said the German.

“I would love to see a few people and ask them what they thought about the line-up, and all these bad things about me and the FA Cup and no respect.

“It’s a very important message. If you want to be a Liverpool player, you have to respect the principles of this club.

“We cannot always play the best football in the world, but we can fight like nobody else, and as long as we use our principles then we will be a difficult opponent to play against.”

This tie was the fifth competition Liverpool had played in the previous 27 days, so it was little surprise Klopp decided to give his Premier League leaders a rest.

Klopp would probably have fielded a stronger side if it weren’t for the club’s growing list of injuries, with six senior players unavailable, but what was essentially a third-string line-up did him proud.

“It’s very important we give the boys this opportunity,” he added.

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“I tell them in training that it’s important not all of them, in their first impulse, go out on loan. There is something to learn here as well.

“We saw these boys come closer and closer to being ready to play for us. I’m really happy about that.

“It made me really proud and I told the boys they have to be proud in that performance because it was exceptional.”