Despite Trent Alexander-Arnold’s rapid injury return, Jurgen Klopp still opted for Joe Gomez to start against Watford in the Premier League.
Speaking about the stand-in right-back after the game, the boss said: ‘Not only this today, but this as well when we had now really from the bench a lot of game-changers in the games.
‘Even when we rotated and the boys started, they never disappointed and Joey was the opposite of disappointing today.
‘It was pretty clear Joey could, unfortunately, train with us the full week because he was not on international duty, but then we already knew it would be tight for Trent.
‘At the beginning of the week we didn’t even know there was a chance, but obviously there was a chance, but because we saw Joey the whole week in training it was clear he would start there.
‘He did really well and he could have set up a second goal in the second half, the cross was an incredible one as well.
‘Defensively we don’t have to talk, offensively some really good moments and some not-so-good moments because you see the positioning against a deep-sitting opponent, it is not so easy to find the right position in these moments and we are usually a bit more flexible, but it’s all fine.
‘Joe is an outstanding football player and he will play a lot of games during his career, 100 per cent, he will play here a lot of games definitely.
‘This season was tricky so far for him, but who knows how these things can change. He is obviously ready to use the opportunity when he gets it’.
It’s great that our No.12 was given the chance to shine with only his second Premier League start of the season, even better was the fact that he took it.
The former Charlton Athletic man’s versatility will mean that he can play more games for the Reds, once he is given the chance to shine by the German.
It does also appear to suggest that the 24-year-old will be very much in the German’s thinking for this season and next, which is a real positive too.
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