Jurgen Klopp has heralded this as Joe Gomez‘s most consistent season at Liverpool, a fact he puts down to the defender being forced to play in a number of different positions.
A centre-back by trade, Gomez has featured in that role as well as right-back, left-back and even as the holding midfielder over the course of the campaign thus far.
And he has excelled in each, playing a key role in the Reds being able to maintain their four-fronted bid for trophies through an injury crisis.
As such, Klopp is understandably delighted with the Englishman’s form, and is hopeful it can continue into the run-in.
He said: “I couldn’t be happier for Joey. He was, in our most successful years, super, super important, played an incredible amount of games in 19/20, probably 18/19 as well.
“He had some injuries, stuff happened, and he was in and out of the team, always important to us, but I think this season is the most consistent he played, especially because of the different positions.
“I think the least games he played on centre-half [in a season] probably because we always needed him somewhere else, and he did exceptionally well. I think it developed his game, massively.
“If you would have asked me before the season about inverted right or left-back, what do you think about generally the No. 6, I don’t know if I would have said, ‘Yeah, of course, Joey can do that!’
“But that’s what opportunity sometimes does to you, that you really grow with the challenges you face and that’s what Joey definitely did. He’s in exceptional shape and long may it continue.”
As Klopp noted, Gomez has not always been lucky with injuries, but to date he has missed only one match this season due to fitness issues – only five players boast a similar or better record.
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