Premier League: Possible Liverpool line-up after Joe Gomez injury

Premier League: Possible Liverpool line-up after Joe Gomez injury
Jurgen Klopp will be fuming at the injuries picked up by his defenders and how hard pressed his team is now

Jurgen Klopp had called it right when he said that the fixture congestion is surely going to cause some players to get injured. Sure enough, two of his own players have succumbed to the overload and fatigue. Trent Alexander Arnold and Joe Gomez both face a long time in the sidelines with their injuries. This will severely affect Liverpool and it remains to be seen how they will line-up now

Reports have risen that Liverpool might be without Joe Gomez for the rest of the season. He seems to have injured his patellar tendon and that is serious. Klopp will absolutely be fuming now as he has lost his fourth centre-back to injury. Fabinho was made a makeshift centre-back in Virgil Van Dijk’s place and even he is injured now. Joel Matip doesn’t have the best track record in staying fit. With Joe Gomez’s injury the third member of the defence that conceded just 6 goals in their first 20 Premier League games in the 2018/19 season is out now.

Potential Line-ups

There a number of possible scenarios in how Liverpool can line-up in the absence of Joe Gomez

Fabinho (RB), Joel Matip, Nathaniel Phillips and Andy Robertson (LB)

This defensive line works only when Fabinho comes back from injury. It is expected that he and Thiago Alcantara will return from their injuries after the international break. Both Nathaniel Phillips and Joel Matip are good in the air and will win their aerial duels. However playing the inexperienced former against a player like Jamie Vardy will surely be a disaster as Vardy is a true fox. It is hard to mark him and once he gets past you, it is harder to tackle. Mostly this will lead to goals and it all depends on how Phillips adapts to him.

Joel Matip (RB), Fabinho, Nathaniel Phillips and Andy Robertson (LB)

In the 2018/19 season, Joel Matip would make these mazy runs which would find him right near the opponent’s penalty box. While it was threatening in the least, not much came out of these runs. Matip could be allowed to do that if he is played in the right-back position. Trent Alexaner-Arnold was allowed to go till the goal post as a right-back and Klopp could allow Matip to do that too.

James Milner (RB), Fabinho, Joel Matip and Andy Robertson (LB)

This could eventually be the chosen defensive line by Jurgen Klopp. Much of this rests on the centre-backs being injury free in this period till January. James Milner is such a versatile player that he has played in every position in the field barring goalkeeper. He is the first person Klopp turns to when some defender or midfielder is injured and Milner is never one to say to no to any challenge.

Much remains on the fact that no other defender gets injured in the period till January. Almost 8-10 matches will be played and Klopp needs everyone on board. Only in January will Liverpool be allowed to buy a centre-back but an emergency signing is not off the charts. It remains to be seen if Liverpool will buy a centre-back though. Other clubs will raise their asking fee for their players since Liverpool will be desperate to cover up.

An Accomplishment

Jurgen Klopp will surely be spoken on the same vein as Bob Paisely, Bill Shankly and Sir Alex Ferguson if Liverpool go on to win the Premier League this season. The fact that they’ve lost three of the much applauded defensive line only two months after the season started is not thought of enough. Liverpool’s attack has so far covered any and all defensive fragilities they’ve shown in the defence. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane will go down as the most famous wingers of the Premier League if they are able to continue the form they are in. Diogo Jota will also become renowned if he can score more goals now.

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