Liverpool’s 2022/23 season is threatening to be worse for injuries than the litany they had to endure two years ago. At this stage of that campaign, 11 different members of Klopp’s squad had suffered a fitness issue, yet the figure stands at 18 this term.
Whether it’s better or worse to have more injuries that are of less significance is up for debate. If there’s one thing you can say for season-ending knocks, at least the manager knows not to include that player in their plans for the foreseeable future.
In the last week, the Reds have lost Arthur Melo for several months, then Luis Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold both hobbled off in the defeat at Arsenal. With Joel Matip now out too, the Reds’ XI is crumbling.
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A break from the spotlight may benefit Alexander-Arnold, and at least it doesn’t present too difficult a decision for Klopp. The Reds’ manager has multiple options when it comes to replacing Diaz, but Joe Gomez is the only realistic contender for the right-back berth. James Milner and Calvin Ramsay are at opposite ends of their careers, and each with flaws (many miles in the legs and no experience with Liverpool respectively), which should rule them out of the conversation.
As much as Klopp would want Alexander-Arnold in the side for the big matches his team face, only previously utilising Gomez to rest his senior option, this enforced change could work out for the best. The fill-in has better defensive numbers and shouldn’t offer too much of a creative drop-off compared with what Liverpool’s number 66 has offered in 2022/23.
Their sample sizes are so different as to render any comparison flawed. However, where Alexander-Arnold has averaged 1.8 tackles per 90 across his career (per WhoScored), Gomez has recorded 2.4 during his time at right-back. The latter also has the edge for being dribbled past less often, though the margin of 0.2 per 90 is narrower for this metric, while the interception rate is 1.8 to 1.4 in Gomez’s favour too.
As a naturally more defensive player, it’s little surprise that the former Charlton Athletic man has an edge here. What is more eye-catching are their recent attacking numbers. In his four Premier League appearances at right-back last season, Gomez averaged 0.20 expected assists per 90 minutes (per Understat). Although this is adrift of Alexander-Arnold’s career average of 0.28, it is ahead of the 0.17 per 90 he has delivered this season.
Gomez also holds an advantage on xGChain and xGBuildUp, metrics which measure the value of possession sequences in which a player is involved. Although some of this will be down to the relatively kind standard of opponent faced (Gomez started at right-back against Norwich, Watford, Newcastle and Southampton last season) it suggests the back-up option won’t offer less than the senior choice has been. Gomez picked up an assist against the Hornets, too, when Alexander-Arnold hasn’t created a goal in any of his last 13 league appearances.
And Liverpool have a strong record when their centre-back starts on the right of the defensive quartet. The Reds have won the last five league matches in which Gomez has played the full contest at right-back and taken 24 points from the last 10 such games. He also played there for the 4-3 win over Manchester City in 2018, which is a good omen if nothing else ahead of the clash on Sunday.
He won’t permanently oust Alexander-Arnold but Klopp doesn’t need him to. At a time when Liverpool are crying out for more solidity, Gomez - who produced a superb assist for Roberto Firmino's second goal at Rangers in midweek - should be able to provide it while still being involved further forward. That will more than suffice for now.
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