Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will hand Joe Gomez his first start of the season on Monday against Manchester United.
That’s according to The Athletic. They claim that Gomez will start for Liverpool against United after playing a ‘full part’ in training yesterday.
The 25-year-old wasn’t fit enough to play from the beginning of Liverpool’s last game against Crystal Palace. But after a good half-hour cameo, he’s now ready to go.
Monday’s massive clash will reportedly come too soon for fellow centre-back Joel Matip, though. However, The Athletic do have some good news in that area as well, as Matip reportedly did some ‘light work’ out on the grass.
Gomez ready to make his mark yet again
This is great news for both Liverpool and Gomez himself. For The Reds, it would have perhaps been a little dangerous to go to Old Trafford with Nat Phillips expected to do a job again.
That’s no disrespect to Phillips. He’s been an excellent servant to Liverpool and played relatively well on Monday. But his presence in the back-line did arguably cost Liverpool a goal as well.
Gomez is a step up in class. The Reds looked pretty much instantly more assured when he came on at Anfield earlier in the week. It was a classy display from a player who is obviously part of the long-term plan at the club.
From a personal point of view, Gomez needs to stay fit to take his chance back in the team.
Although he’s now being thrust into the line-up, just a few weeks ago he was still fourth choice. Both Matip and Ibrahima Konate have bundled ahead of him in the pecking order. This is now a brilliant chance for him to bite back.
If he performs well, there’s every chance he can reinstate himself as Klopp’s number one choice to play next to Virgil Van Dijk. The Liverpool boss already loves him, calling him ‘phenomenal’ last month via liverpoolfc.com.
Klopp may not need too much persuading, then. But Gomez still needs to start well with a good display at Old Trafford on Monday. United have been desperately poor so far this season, but they’ll be up for it next week.
With players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho in the team, they still pose a considerable threat. Thankfully, Liverpool should now have the personnel in the back-line to cope with that.
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