Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has stressed that Joe Gomez needs to ‘keep working really hard’ if he is to reclaim his place in the team, although the boss admitted ‘it is not easy’.
Already having to contend with working his way back to full fitness off the back of last season’s long-term ACL injury, competition for places from a resurgent Joel Matip and summer signing Ibrahima Konate has pushed Gomez down the pecking order at Anfield.
The 24-year-old had previously been a regular next to Virgil van Dijk during Liverpool’s Premier League title winning campaign. But he is yet to start a league match this season, appearing just twice from the bench, while two of his only three starts in total have been in the Carabao Cup.
90min revealed at the start of the week that Gomez is growing increasingly concerned that his lack of playing time at Liverpool will affect his chances with England at a time when the 2022 World Cup is starting to appear on the horizon.
Gomez has informed Klopp of his frustrations, just as he did once before in 2019 ahead of landing himself a starting place. There is no suggestion the player is looking to leave Anfield, but he may start to consider his position if things haven’t changed by January.
