Football

Liverpool blow as Joe Gomez suffers knee injury in England training


Joe Gomez has suffered an injury at St George’s Park in the preparations for Thursday’s England friendly with the Republic of Ireland at Wembley, a setback for the national team but one that has potentially more serious consequences for Liverpool.

Gareth Southgate provided an update on the central defender’s condition in his pre-match press conference, saying he was “praying” for a positive diagnosis but that it was “not a good situation”. While the severity of the problem is unclear, any length of absence would be particularly troublesome for Liverpool, who have a number of problems at the back.

The Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope, who will start against Ireland on Thursday, added: “Joe made a pass or a movement with no one around him and ended up on the floor. He was in a great deal of pain. When you see one of your friends or teammates go through that, it’s not easy.”

Jürgen Klopp, who sold Dejan Lovren to Zenit St Petersburg over the summer, has Virgil van Dijk as a long-term cruciate knee ligament casualty. Fabinho, the defensive midfielder who has played in central defence, is currently recovering from a hamstring injury. It is hoped that he will be back after the international break. Klopp’s only other established option in the position is Joël Matip, who has just returned from a muscle problem.

Klopp lost the right-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold, to a calf strain in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Manchester City and, like many managers, has been outspoken about the physical demands being put on the players.



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