Joe Gomez. Credit: Imago Images
Joe Gomez stepped up on Sunday when he was solid at the back as Liverpool beat Manchester City 2-0 at Anfield. The defender was flawless alongside Virgil van Dijk at the heart of their defence and Arne Slot would need him to be at his best for the next run of fixtures as the Reds look to maintain their momentum. However, the centre-back is more or less likely to move on from the club at the end of the season.
Under different circumstances, Gomez would have been getting ready to play against Liverpool this weekend and not for them. He came close to joining Newcastle United last summer for £45m with Anthony Gordon moving to Anfield for a fee of £75m in a separate deal.
However, Newcastle arranged deals to sell Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson to solve their PSR issues and the negotiations with Liverpool were shelved.
Until last weekend, Gomez was hardly getting a look-in by Slot but the centre-back has been thrust into the spotlight after Ibrahima Konate picked up a knee injury. The defender is now set for a run of games in the starting eleven.
However, given his position in the squad and the fact that Liverpool are set to sign one more centre-back next summer, Gomez is almost certain to leave Anfield at the end of the season.
Arne Slot needs Joe Gomez to hold the fort for the Reds in the coming weeks
Slot showed very little faith in the defender ahead of Konate’s injury. He only started games in the EFL Cup and was hardly getting any minutes in the Premier League and the Champions League.
However, the Frenchman’s injury has changed the scenario for Gomez and Slot. The Liverpool manager needs the defender now as he pushes his Liverpool side to hold on to their advantage in the title race.
The Dutchman is aware that injuries could derail their season and is now looking at Gomez to ensure that their stellar defensive record keeps going in the coming weeks.
It’s a weird scenario as Gomez is clearly the third-choice centre-back and Liverpool are almost certain to bring in a starting eleven defender in the summer.
Can you name the team Liverpool sold these players to?
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The Englishman is likely to drop further down the pecking order and is almost certain to move on from Anfield at the end of the season.
However, Liverpool need him now and Gomez has rarely let the team down even though you have to go back to the 2019/20 season for the last time he started more than half of Liverpool’s Premier League games.
At the start of the 2019-20 Premier League-winning campaign, Gomez and Van Dijk formed a solid partnership to help Liverpool gain a massive advantage in the title race before the Covid break.
Even if Gomez is expected to leave next summer, the Reds need him to rekindle that partnership with the club captain to keep the team’s momentum going in a relentless December.
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