Jurgen Klopp has praised Joe Gomez and insisted the No. 2 shall be given loads of probabilities this season, significantly after a “huge blow” for Ibrahima Konate.
Given the shortage of minutes for Gomez final time period it got here as a shock when the 25-year-old signed a brand new five-year contract with Liverpool this summer season.
However the Englishman has accepted the problem in entrance of him as he seems to compete with Konate and Joel Matip as first-choice accomplice to Virgil van Dijk at centre-back.
It’s ironic, then, that Gomez’s first alternative might come as a consequence of an damage to considered one of his team-mates, with Konate “out for some time” after choosing up an damage towards Strasbourg.
Although no timeframe has been given for the Frenchman’s layoff, it appears that evidently it will likely be longer than a matter of weeks, with Klopp suggesting Nat Phillips will now keep put as cowl.
Both approach, Gomez has an opportunity to keep away from the “stop-and-go” marketing campaign he endured final day trip, as Klopp instructed reporters on Friday.
“For Joe, it’s most vital that he stays match, in order that’s what we attempt to assist him with all we will,” the supervisor stated.
“That was the stop-and-go scenario, it’s not that he was match from first day and I didn’t choose him only for high quality causes.
“That was by no means the case. When he was continuously match he performed an terrible lot of video games.
“Everyone knows that final yr we might rotate like loopy between the three of them, and at first it was Joey not match and when he turned match it labored rather well [with the others]. There are at all times causes.
“If he stays match, then all the pieces shall be high quality for him. Excellent participant.
“Sure, he wants rhythm like all of us want rhythm, and we attempt to give him that, that’s clear.”
Konate’s damage comes at an unlucky time for Liverpool, who’ve seven extra gamers on the therapy desk heading into the primary recreation of the Premier League marketing campaign.
Caoimhin Kelleher, Calvin Ramsay, Diogo Jota and Kaide Gordon all arrived for pre-season with health points, whereas Kostas Tsimikas, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Curtis Jones subsequently picked up accidents.
“The excellent news is that when you’ve gotten an enormous blow, like it’s with Ibou, it’s essential to have options,” Klopp added of Gomez.
“Our answer is, within the second, the scenario that we now have. We’re nonetheless there.
“However how I stated, it’s at all times the identical: it’s essential to be fortunate with accidents. As a result of we’re very self-critical and take into consideration what can we now have performed in a different way.
“However other than the contact accidents, which may at all times occur, there have been good causes for [injuries] which we couldn’t affect. That’s the case for now.
“It’s all OK for the second, however Joey dedicated his future to this membership, so I can’t see why the subsequent yr needs to be so vital for him to show.
“I wished him to remain right here, he’s a high participant and he’ll play soccer video games for Liverpool, positively.”
