Senior centre-back injury issues open door to 'absolute class' 18-year-old
There was a surprise inclusion in Liverpool’s starting lineup to face Tottenham in the Premier League last weekend. Joe Gomez was handed the opportunity to start alongside Virgil van Dijk at the hea...
Senior centre-back injury issues open door to 'absolute class' 18-year-old There was a surprise inclusion in Liverpool’s starting lineup to face Tottenham in the Premier League last weekend. Joe Gomez was handed the opportunity to start alongside Virgil van Dijk at the heart of defence. It meant Ibrahima Konate moving to the bench - the only Premier League game this season that the Frenchman hasn’t started aside from missing out against Bournemouth on compassionate grounds.
“Unfortunately Ibou got discomfort in his hamstring so we couldn't take the risk of playing him,” was Arne Slot’s assessment. The Liverpool head coach took a preventative measure to keep harm from Konate’s door - with the 26-year-old restored to the lineup for the visit of Galatasaray on Wednesday. And as it happened Gomez wasn’t fit to start that game either following his exertions against Spurs at the weekend.
The 28-year-old played no part in training the day before the Champions League last-16 second leg - but did appear on the bench at Anfield. “He had too many issues after our last game although he had those issues already after the Galatasaray game,” Slot said. "It wasn't the plan to play him against Tottenham.
” LFC centre-backs running on fumes It’s clear that at the moment these two are having to be handled carefully. Liverpool could really do with a rotation option for the rest of the campaign - with Slot perhaps having to use Konate a little more sparingly. And why not call up Mor Talla Ndiaye?