‘He had an injection’ -Arne Slot issues Joe Gomez update ahead of Liverpool v PSV | OneFootball

Arne Slot has indicated that Joe Gomez will be available for Liverpool’s Champions League fixture against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night.

Even with right-backs Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong sidelined through injury, the 28-year-old was an unused substitute in the Reds’ 3-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest last weekend, with midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai instead starting on the right-hand side of defence.

Excluding two full runouts in the Carabao Cup, our longest-serving current player has only had 58 minutes of game-time this season, being left to rely on a smattering of substitute appearances (Transfermarkt).

Slot confirms Joe Gomez availability for PSV clash

Slot addressed the media on Tuesday afternoon in his pre-match press conference ahead of the PSV clash tomorrow, and he was asked about the availability of Gomez for the visit of the Dutch champions.

The LFC head coach replied (via Liverpool Echo): “He is one of the five defenders we have. He had an injection last week in the knee; it’s not normal if you don’t feel anything.

“Apart from me making the decision to play Dom in that position, it’s also to do with Joe not being completely fit. He is in the group tomorrow but wasn’t able to train every single day last week.”

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

If Gomez doesn’t play now, when will he?

Privately, Gomez must feel that if he isn’t playing now with Liverpool having so many defenders sidelined through injury, when will he be given a proper chance under Slot? Paul Joyce rightly posed that very question in recent days.

It seems that the head coach didn’t want to risk him against Forest due to that knee issue, but at least the 28-year-old has been passed fit for the PSV game. Whether or not he’s included from the start is the burning question between now and when the line-ups are announced 75 minutes before kick-off.

Szoboszlai appears to be more trusted to start at right-back than the Reds’ number 2, despite the latter having far more experience in that position throughout his career (104 games compared to the Hungarian’s five).

Despite the 25-year-old proving to be highly adaptable and versatile, we’d much rather see him in his usual attacking midfield berth, especially if Florian Wirtz is ruled out – the German didn’t partake in training today and seems to be an injury doubt for tomorrow night.

Should Slot deploy our number 8 in his customary position, that should pave the way for Gomez to come into the team at right-back, and the Londoner has put in some fine performances with the sporadic game-time that he’s had this season.

In our view, he deserves to be in the starting XI against PSV, especially with so many defenders unavailable to the Reds boss.