Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool boss says he might pick same XI for replay

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says he might pick the same youthful starting line-up that featured on Friday for the Reds' FA Cup replay against Exeter.

Liverpool's XI - with an average age of 22 and featuring 10 players with a combined 13 appearances this season - drew 2-2 at the League Two side.

"Maybe we play the same again," the German said, blaming injuries and fixture congestion.

"Perhaps the other players will be back or maybe it'll be the same XI."

The Reds have 13 players on the sidelines, and Klopp revealed the matchday squad for the Exeter game had spent very little time together.

"It was not fair for the boys because they trained together only 45 minutes and three or four of them were at another club yesterday," he added, with defender Tiago Ilori and defensive midfielder Kevin Stewart both recalled on the day of the game.

The replay means Liverpool will play at least five more matches in January.

And, if they defeat Exeter to reach the FA Cup fourth round, they will have a sixth fixture on the final weekend of the month.

"I can't believe we have to play another game now. You want it like this so we will be there," he told the BBC.

Klopp said his young players needed to be tougher.

"They tried everything but it is obvious what we have to learn in future, we have to be more robust," he added.

"We had a few good moments but, in a few one-on-one situations, they were more robust than us so we have to work on that for sure."

Exeter manager Paul Tisdale believes his side should have won the game after twice taking the lead through Tom Nichols and Lee Holmes, only to be pegged back on both occasions.

"I'm a football manager and I want to win games," he told BBC Sport.

"When you're 2-1 up and defending a lead with 10 minutes to go then you're disappointed."

But the manager added that the financial reward for earning a replay at Anfield would be a welcome bonus, with Sporting Intelligence estimating it will be worth about £700,000 to the Devon club.

"We have no investor so every penny counts," he said. "At the end of the day we've put on a really good show."

The average age of the Liverpool starting line-up against Exeter was 22