For the remainder of the season, Joe Gomez will play alongside Virgil van Dijk in central defence, but largely because Joel Matip is injured and won’t play again until next summer.
Among Liverpool fans, there is a large consensus that Gomez is the best partner for van Dijk anyway, but many state Matip’s height, aerial ability and the manner in which he can pass out from the back makes him just as attractive an option next to the jaw-dropping Dutchman.
But this stat from James Pearce on Twitter shows that Liverpool are simply a stronger side when it’s Gomez alongside Virg:
In the 17 PL games Joe Gomez has started this season #LFC have conceded an average of 0.5 goals & 8.2 shots per game with a win percentage of 94.
Without him, Klopp's men have conceded an average of one goal and 10.5 shots per game, with the win percentage dropping to 81.2.— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) July 6, 2020
Gomez is still only 23-years-old, and it’s easy to forget in central defensive terms, he’s a relative novice – given he’s been making appearances for us since the age of 18.
His talent is precocious and he’s only going to further improve. His mistake against Manchester City last week shows there is still room for improvement, however – but we can’t wait to see the kind of player he eventually becomes.