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Shrewsbury manager Sam Ricketts admits he understands Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp vowing to play his under-23 side in their FA Cup replay.

The League One side secured a rematch at Anfield next month after coming from two goals behind to draw 2-2 in their fourth round tie in Shropshire on Sunday.

With the match scheduled to take place during Liverpool's intended Premier League winter break, Klopp has stated he and his senior players will not be in attendance.

And while the decision has been met with anger in some quarters, Ricketts sympathises with his Reds counterpart.

“I fully understand Liverpool’s position, they are fighting on all fronts for trophies and every three days they are there to get shot at,” he said.

“This was our cup final and we will have another one at Anfield, whereas for Liverpool it is just another day.

“I understand that point of view. They are fighting for the Premier League, fighting for the Champions League and at some point those players need a rest.

"I can’t read too much into it, we’ll see nearer the time.”

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Ricketts, meanwhile, has revealed how big wins for Manchester City and United earlier in the day had heightened determination to produce a shock against the European and world champions.

“I saw the scorelines and I was thinking ‘4-0 Man City, 6-0 Man United... hold on a minute there haven’t really been any upsets here so we best try to do something’," he added.

“What I was really hoping for at 2-0 down was to maintain belief in the gameplan and maintain our belief in what we were trying to do in the game and hope something went our way and it did."