Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has offered his support to David Moyes and strongly defended the West Ham manager after he was criticised for team selection in their 5-1 loss at Anfield this week, adding that it is ‘not fair’ that the Hammers will play in the 12.30pm kick-off.

The Reds boss has been vocal about his thoughts on playing in the lunchtime match on a Saturday, especially on the back of midweek fixtures, with the latest television picks for February pitting Liverpool against Brentford in that slot, their fifth of the season so far.

And Klopp has now questioned if playing in that time slot after a midweek match is right, and then moved to defend Moyes after many fans and pundits questioned the West Ham boss for making six changes ahead of their visit to Anfield on Wednesday night.

‘You have to ask the question, is that right? You’re playing a competition where each team should get kind of the same. West Ham had exactly the same as us – Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday 12.30.

Jurgen Klopp has offered his backing to David Moyes after he was criticised for rotating his West Ham team in their Carabao Cup quarter-final on Wednesday

Klopp thinks it is ‘not fair’ that West Ham have to play Erik ten Hag’s Man United less than three days after their 5-1 humbling at Anfield

‘As long as people out there in the world discuss “it’s no different to 3pm”. If you have a week off before it’s not a problem. People still think it’s all right to put West Ham in that game… and criticise David Moyes in the week that he makes changes.

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‘They have been that long in the business and they still ask these questions, “Why did you make changes?” How dare you ask David Moyes that question, “Are you happy with your team selection?”.

‘We play at 5.30 tomorrow, that means the boys sleep longer. Breakfast, take it when you get it… and they (West Ham), get up at 7.30am. And at 9am they throw in the noodles! You tell me that’s fair? How is that fair?

‘Why can’t they look at that, whoever is doing it? How can you have the idea after that week to give them a 12.30? It’s nothing to do with us. For us, put our shirts away and just think about general football problems.’

Since losing at Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium nine days ago, Liverpool have trained a total of 135 minutes – with three of those days being taken up for recovery sessions.