Liverpool could be handed a fitness boost as Trent Alexander-Arnold continues to respond well to treatment for a hamstring injury.
That’s according to The Athletic journalist James Pearce, who claims that staff at Liverpool are ‘cautiously optimistic’ that the right-back will be fit for their punishing April schedule.
It was feared that Alexander-Arnold could miss the potentially title-deciding trip to Manchester City on April 10th. But The Athletic now suggest that the 23-year-old ‘should be fit for most of that April schedule’.
That’s providing he continues his positive recovery so far of course. But that’s hugely encouraging news nonetheless.
Gomez gives it a go
There aren’t many players that Jurgen Klopp would like to lose less than Alexander-Arnold. The influence that the right-back exerts on this Liverpool team is well documented.
It’s virtually impossible to replace a player like that. But yesterday at the City Ground, Joe Gomez gave it a mighty good go.
Klopp had spoken ahead of the game against Nottingham Forest to suggest that James Milner was his preferred option to replace Trent.
But the vice-captain was ruled out after failing to recover from a bout of Covid in time. Instead, Gomez stepped in.
As it turned out, the 24-year-old was probably Liverpool’s best player as they snuck into the FA Cup semi-final with a 1-0 win in Nottingham.
Gomez got up and down the line admirably. In the first-half in particular he was a constant threat in behind the Forest defence.
Although he doesn’t offer the same incision with the ball at his feet as Alexander-Arnold, he used it relatively well in the final third.
Defensively, he showed the benefit of having a centre-back at full-back. There have never been any questions about his capabilities as a defender and that was on display time after time as Forest put The Reds under pressure.
It isn’t ideally where Gomez would like to be playing for Liverpool. It also isn’t really ideal for Liverpool not to have a more like-for-like replacement for their mercurial number 66.
But yesterday showed why Klopp was willing to allow Neco Williams to leave the club on-loan in Janauary. In games like this, Gomez is a more than capable deputy.
Keeping everything crossed
All the same, Liverpool fans will be crossing everything that today’s positive update on Alexander-Arnold turns out to be right.
The Reds have some enormous games on the horizon. As good as Gomez was, they’ll have a much better chance of winning them with Trent back in his rightful place.
The right-back, who was labelled ‘phenomenal’ this season by Rio Ferdinand via Daily Mail, is indispensable. Get well soon, Trent!
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
