Joel Matip will start for Liverpool this evening for the first time since the opening day of the Premier League season.
That’s according to The Times, who claim that Matip is ‘poised’ for a return to start against Ajax.
The 31-year-old played the second-half of last week’s 4-1 defeat to Napoli. He also got the last 10 minutes of Liverpool’s previous game – the 0-0 draw at Goodison Park on September 3rd.
However, Matip hasn’t started a game since the 2-2 draw with Fulham on August 6th. That looks likely to change this evening, in welcome news for Liverpool.
Good to have you back, Joel
In all the furore over Liverpool’s poor start to 2022/23, Matip’s absence has largely been overlooked.
Perhaps that’s because he was present as Liverpool kicked-off their campaign with that lethargic draw against Fulham. Maybe it’s because, the Napoli game aside, Joe Gomez has by-and-large done well in his stead.
Nevertheless, Liverpool have really missed their no.32. When fit, he tends to be Jurgen Klopp’s chosen partner for Virgil Van Dijk.
And there’s good reason for that, too. Last season, as Van Dijk made his return from a long-term injury, so too did Matip.
You’d never have guessed he’d missed such a lot of football, though. According to Jamie Carragher via Football Daily, Matip was ‘fantastic’ last season, and just as good as Van Dijk.
Despite that, the Cameroonian lost his place in the line-up for two out of three of Liverpool’s cup finals last season. That was tough on Matip, although Ibrahima Konate was a worthy deputy. That The Reds are also badly missing the Frenchman at the moment is not in doubt.
They’ll still have to wait for Konate’s return. For now though, it’ll be great to see Matip back. Liverpool looked more solid with him in the side against Napoli, and they’ll need his calming influence against a youthful Ajax tonight. Welcome back, Joel.
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