Many Liverpool players have had promising starts to the season thus far, and the Reds will go to Wolves following the international break having won three and drawn one of their opening four games.
newest hires Alisson Becker is as dependable as ever, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis MacAllister have both shown promise, and Liverpool’s attacking line appears to be among the most lethal in the Premier League.
But there is maybe an unanticipated benefit for Jurgen Klopp’s defense, coming off their first clean sheet of the year.
Because Joe Gomez has successfully re-entered the conversation following a strong defensive performance against Aston Villa on the eve of the international break.
In fact, Gomez has performed excellently when called upon due to injury and bad luck, first in a 10-man effort against Newcastle and then at Anfield in the victory over Villa.
Due to Ibrahima Konate’s injury and captain Virgil van Dijk’s suspension, Jurgen Klopp has asked the 26-year-old to fill in at the center of the defense. The problem arises at a time when Liverpool supporters were frequently discussing the need to recruit a defensive player at the last minute as the emphasis shifted to midfield during the summer window.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was making his debut appearance as captain at Anfield late in the game versus Villa, was also added to the Liverpool team’s list of injured players.
And at 26, Gomez has a chance to help Liverpool’s defense both now and in the future if he can restart his career there and, more importantly, keep himself healthy.
A performance that gave Gomez more confidence, but Alexander-Arnold’s subsequent injury presents another issue. Conor Bradley joins him on the examination table.
The defensive problems, however, don’t end there. In addition to the news that Konate has left the France team, Van Dijk’s one-match suspension could be extended as a result of his reaction to being dismissed against Newcastle.
The good news is that Ollie Watkins, who had five goals in six outings against the Reds prior to Sunday’s match, was neutralized by Gomez after Gomez put on strong performances against the Magpies and subsequently. But as Klopp seeks to address two issues, each of which Gomez can address, a selection headache may be in store for him.
