Jürgen Klopp is facing his first serious blow as Liverpool manager after Joe Gomez suffered a suspected ruptured anterior cruciate ligament which, if confirmed by Liverpool on Thursday, would keep the defender out for up to nine months.
Gomez, who began the season as first-choice left-back, suffered the injury playing for England Under-21s in Tuesday evening's victory over Kazakhstan in Coventry. The defender had to be withdrawn, though Gareth Southgate, the coach, later played down the problem. "It seems to be OK," he said. "We were a bit concerned at first but we are hopeful it's nothing too serious."
Gomez had a scan on Wednesday and though the results will not be known until Thursday fears are growing that he has suffered a ruptured ACL. If so it could rule him out for the remainder of the season.
Gomez signed from Charlton in June on a five-year contract and began the campaign in Brendan Rodgers’s starting XI. He began Liverpool’s opening five matches, including the games with Arsenal and Manchester United. He was dropped by the then manager after the 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford, but Rodgers started him in Liverpool’s two Europa League matches.
Klopp, who can call on Alberto Moreno as left-back for Saturday's trip to Tottenham Hotspur, the German's first match, was joined on Wednesday by his No2, Zeljko Buvac, for training at the club's Melwood base. The 54-year-old Serb was Klopp's assistant at Borussia Dortmund and Mainz, his two previous clubs, and a team-mate at Mainz.
For the session, which began at 4pm, Klopp had the full squad back following the international break. Lucas Leiva spoke of the new manager's impact so far. "It has been very positive," the midfielder told the club website
. “There is a lot of information and as players we need to listen a lot now, and learn and try to put everything he asks us to do onto the pitch and off the pitch as well. It has been very good, very positive and hopefully it will keep going like that.
“He seems to be very passionate - he likes to put in everything that he has and he asks the players for the same. Be very intense, be aggressive with yourself, is what he has been saying. Always try to be better, always give 10 metres more, because that will be the key to success. That is what he has been saying to us in the last couple of days. He seems to be a very open manager and someone that likes to be close to the players, but very straight as well. That’s what I’ve learned from the last couple of days and I think it was a positive way to start.
“He was so successful at his last club, Borussia Dortmund. Of course, when a manager like him comes it always gives you a lot of hope. It’s a fresh start for every player. His CV is amazing. So I think everyone is really excited to learn with him and improve as a player and a team, because that’s the only way we will achieve what we want.
“I watch a lot of football, of course. The year they arrived in the Champions League final, I remember their games, especially against Manchester City in Manchester, where they were fantastic.” Guardian Service
