1 year ago
269 Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has been named in Garth Crooks’s team of the week after his performance against Newcastle United.
BBC Sport pundit Crooks named his favoured XI after a last-gasp win for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
With 80 minutes on the clock, few Liverpool fans would have still had faith that they would come away from St. James’ Park with three points.
However, Darwin Nunez turned up with Liverpool needed him most and scored a brilliant brace.
The visitors were down to ten men before half-time and Trent Alexander-Arnold was fortunate not to have been given his marching orders as well.
Liverpool lost Virgil van Dijk after he denied Alexander Isak a goalscoring opportunity.
Klopp had to rejig his tactics and didn’t have Ibrahima Konate on the bench to call on due to injury.
Joe Gomez stepped up and put a brilliant performance in for Liverpool against Newcastle.
He led the defence alongside youngster Jarell Quansah in the second half.
Their partnership provided Liverpool with the platform they needed to launch two superb counterattacks that ultimately decided the match.
Gomez stars for Liverpool against Newcastle
Crooks named Gomez in a back three alongside wing-back Matty Cash and Crystal Palace’s Joachim Andersen and said: “The tactical changes made by Jurgen Klopp and his backroom staff after Virgil van Dijk’s dismissal were nothing short of genius.
“[Joe] Gomez replaced Luis Diaz, who naturally felt aggrieved by the substitution, and was soon joined by Harvey Elliott, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Jarell Quansah to take up the fight and try to salvage a point from the game.
“Well, they did more than that – they won it.
“It’s not often you see five substitutes gel into a team immediately, but these five did.
“Gomez who has blown hot and cold in recent seasons, took Van Dijk’s central defensive position after 33 minutes and never put a foot wrong.
“The victory by Liverpool, while devastating to Newcastle, may prove the turning point the Reds have been desperately searching for.”
Liverpool have been linked with bringing in a centre-back this summer, with Jean-Clair Todibo one player being considered.
What that means for Joe Gomez’s Liverpool future remains to be seen with suggestions earlier in the summer that his future was uncertain.
Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate’s injury records mean Liverpool may need five centre-backs going into this season.
Gomez will be hoping that he can jump up the pecking order after a brilliant performance yesterday.
The post ‘Never put a foot wrong’: After Nunez, BBC pundit names 26-year-old Liverpool team in his team of the week appeared first on The Boot Room.
