Former West Ham goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has pointed out how Arsene Wenger would have been hung out to dry by the media if he’d dropped as many first team players as Jurgen Klopp did against Chelsea at the weekend.

Klopp benched Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino for their clash against Chelsea, which ended 1-1 on Saturday. However, the media have been predictably quiet over the big decision, which Hislop reckons Wenger would have been heavily criticised for.

“I don’t think it was that thrilling an encounter,” said Hislop.

“Yes, you have to wonder why, we’ve criticised Arsene Wenger no end for not playing his best players in the biggest games. 

“Now all of a sudden Jurgen Klopp is doing it at a time that you didn’t expect and is hard to explain. 

“Now we are going to be speculating for the next few days at the very least about his exchange with Sadio Mane at the end of the game, why he didn’t start. 

“It’s hard to put a finger on it, it really is. 

“Maybe Chelsea’s defence expected a little bit more from Liverpool to start with, but they didn’t come out of their own shells as well until the second half.”

Although we all questioned Wenger’s decision to bench Alexandre Lacazette for Arsenal’s games against Liverpool and Manchester City, the striker was just one player. Klopp benched five men, yet he seems untouchable at times.

If Klopp dances up and down the sidelines, kicking bottles, tearing into the officials and foaming at the mouth, he’s a ‘character’ and ‘passionate’. If Wenger was to do that, he would be accused of being unhinged or acting like a spoiled brat.

Klopp is a quirky genius from Germany who came to rejuvenate Liverpool in their time of need. Wenger is a stuck-up Frenchman, who’s too stubborn to adapt to modern football and is well past his use-by date.

Personally, I have nothing against Klopp. However, the way the media portray him compared to Wenger is clear to see.