Liverpool legend explains why he wouldn’t start Joe Gomez against Brighton despite midweek return | OneFootball

Phil Thompson has explained why he would rather see Curtis Jones start at right-back than Joe Gomez in Liverpool’s FA Cup clash against Brighton on Saturday night.

The 28-year-old returned from a recent layoff in the midweek win over Sunderland as he came on for the stricken Wataru Endo, who Arne Slot has sadly confirmed will be out of action ‘for quite a long time’.

The Reds’ longest-serving current player has had a few injury issues of his own this season, with three separate absences since the start of the campaign, and our reliance on him has increased due to long-term injuries for fellow defenders Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley, in addition to Jeremie Frimpong being ruled out recently.

In that context, and with Liverpool playing for the third time in seven days tonight, Thompson has advised Arne Slot to select Jones instead of Gomez at right-back and play the returning Dominik Szoboszlai (who’s back from suspension) in his usual midfield berth.

Thompson urges Slot not to risk Gomez tonight

The 1981 European Cup-winning captain told the Official Liverpool FC Podcast: “There’s so many fixtures now and the squad is thin, so I would go with Curtis [at right-back] because I think Dominik has been such a prominent force in midfield.

“He played very well against Man City but I would certainly go with our strongest team. I believe we need a good run in the FA Cup this season. It’s been too bitty and giving people an opportunity to have a go at the manager and the staff, so I just think, [go strong] as we did in the last round.

“I would play Curtis and then bring Joe on for the last 20 minutes or half an hour if you needed it, because you can’t risk Joe at the moment with his injury record.”

(Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

Would it be sensible to bench Gomez in favour of Jones?

We can understand Thompson’s argument for selecting Jones over Gomez at right-back, given how much of a tightrope Slot has has to walk regarding that area of the squad in the current campaign.

Indeed, the Liverpool head coach spoke in his pre-match press conference about the importance of ‘finding the right balance’ in terms of which players to field in which positions, having often felt compelled to field proverbial square pegs in round holes.

The Dutchman has explained his peculiar reluctance to use Calvin Ramsay, and although fans are right to question why the Scottish right-back hasn’t been tried more often amid the injury crisis, realistically it’s hard to envisage him getting the nod to start against Brighton.

After that game, Liverpool have a full week off before their next fixture away to Nottingham Forest, so Slot might view that period as one in which Gomez could get back towards peak fitness rather than being thrown in from the start tonight.

The upcoming breather should also encourage the Reds boss to field a strong line-up, as well as the reality that – as much as the competition has felt devalued in modern times – the FA Cup is our likeliest chance of lifting silverware this season.

It’s a big dilemma for the head coach to ponder, but we trust in his judgement to make the right call for the team.