Joe Gomez has insisted “I’ve been here before, I know what it takes,” as he sets his sights on a full recovery from his third major injury in five years with Liverpool.
It was a cruel blow for Gomez as he went down under no pressure in England training on Wednesday, with the 23-year-old undergoing knee surgery shortly after.
Regardless of Liverpool’s injury crisis at the back this season, on a personal level it was a particularly sad one, with Gomez restricted to just 121 appearances since joining from Charlton in 2015.
Last season was the first time the young defender played more than 40 times for the club, with an ACL injury coming days after Jurgen Klopp‘s appointment and a broken leg in 2018.
Gomez was praised for his approach to recovery during the year out with his ACL injury, and the No. 12 has the same mindset this time around.
“The road to recovery has already begun,” he wrote on Twitter on Friday night.
Thank you… pic.twitter.com/Q28h06bqoH
— Joe Gomez (@J_Gomez97) November 13, 2020
“I’ve been here before, I know what it takes and I’ll be back better and stronger than ever.
“I’m obviously gutted, but this is part of god’s plan and I believe everything happens for a reason.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their well-wishes and messages of support.
“I’m focused on my recovery and supporting my teammates in every way I can. See you soon.”
During such a serious injury, a player’s mental wellbeing should be the primary focus, with Gini Wijnaldum explaining that Virgil van Dijk will be going “through hell” during his own lengthy layoff with a knee injury.
But Gomez is clearly strong-minded and prepared for this time on the treatment table, with successful surgery a real positive as he eyes a full recovery and a return to key status.
It had been feared that the centre-back’s problem could be even more severe, but the club have not given up hope of a comeback before the end of the current campaign.
There is no doubting that Gomez will approach this period of his career with the focus and dedication it requires, and hopefully he will be rewarded with more success with Liverpool on his return.
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