Liverpool have confirmed that Robbie Fowler will captain a ‘Legends’ XI in next month’s FA Cup 4th round replay against Shrewsbury. The unusual decision comes as Jürgen Klopp insists that his first team squad will holiday during the forthcoming winter break.

Fowler

“Robbie will lead the boys,” Klopp told Soccer on Sunday. “For sure, he’s lost half a yard of pace since retiring. By yard, I obviously mean kilometer. And by half, I obviously mean full. But if Robbie’s cankles can support his weight — a big if — and if he lets the ball do the work — and I do mean all the work — then he could have a big 2 or 3 minutes in him.”

“We have a few injury concerns,” added the German. “Barnes, Molby, Ruddock — all too fat to play. Also Emlyn Hughes has been ruled out because he died in 2004. That’s not cool. So we must look to players who are alive and can see their toes. Not easy, but this is the job.”