Jurgen Klopp: 'Liverpool can't lose focus in Premier League'

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has insisted that he cannot afford to field weakened teams in the Premier League at a time when the club are still fighting for a top-four place in the table.

On Saturday, Klopp opted to keep the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino in his starting lineup for the game against Stoke City, rather than rest players for the second leg of the Champions League semi-final with Roma.

Klopp has acknowledged that Liverpool face a difficult fixture in Italy, but says that everything must be done to guarantee qualification for next season's competition.

The 50-year-old is quoted by the club's official website as saying: "For us, each game of the last few is a Champions League game. Like today against Stoke – it's for qualification for next year. We want to be, and have to be, part of it again. The next game is a semi-final for this year's Champions League.

"The first thought I had was to make a lineup with which we can beat Stoke. That was the plan. It will be difficult enough anyway."

Ahead of the game at Anfield, Liverpool held an eight-point lead over fifth-placed Chelsea.