In Focus: Forgotten man Gomez out to prove he is no average Joe

Joe Gomez has hardly featured for Liverpool this season — but the FA Cup could be an opportunity for him to save his Reds career.

The central defender has played just 534 minutes of football this term and finds himself behind Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate in the pecking order.

As Jurgen Klopp’s outfit prepare for tonight’s FA Cup fifth-round tie against Norwich, we take a look at what the future holds for the club's forgotten man.

The cost of injury

Gomez was a regular in Liverpool's first XI at the start of the 2020-21 campaign, before suffering a serious knee injury in November 2020 that ruled him out for the remainder of that season.

The 24-year-old returned to action this term but has struggled to force his way back into the starting line-up, making just one Premier League and one Champions League start so far — and playing a combined 250 minutes across both competitions.

The majority of Gomez’s playing time has come in the Carabao Cup, although he was dropped for the semi-finals and the final as the Reds ultimately lifted the trophy.

Performances this season

Gomez has made five starts across all competitions so far this season, with the team keeping clean sheets in two and conceding six goals.

Of those five, four have been in his preferred centre-back role, while the other was at right-back.

In the three competitions he has featured in, no Liverpool player that has played at least 150 minutes has won more aerial duels per 90 minutes (4.55) or won the ball in the defensive third more often per 90 (4.21) — although his sample size of 534 minutes is admittedly small.

But Klopp’s infrequent use of him suggests the defender must do more to impress the German tactician, in order to force his way back into the starting line-up.

Another clash with the Canaries

This evening’s FA Cup clash with Norwich provides Gomez with a rare opportunity to catch his manager’s eye.

The Canaries are a familiar foe for the Reds’ No12, given that two of his five starts this season have come against them — one in last month's 3-1 Premier League win and the other in a 3-0 Carabao Cup triumph.

Given the success Liverpool have had in their meetings with Norwich so far this term, Gomez will be looking to make it a personal hat-trick of victories against the side from Carrow Road.

If he can sufficiently impress while doing so, the former Charlton star could start climbing the pecking order at Anfield.

Support from Klopp

Despite Klopp’s conservative use of Gomez, he has publicly backed the centre-back to turn things around.

Speaking last month, he said: "It's really unlucky for Joe. He has consistently played on an incredible level and has been one of the best centre-halves in England, but then the big injury came and little injuries on top of that.

"Then he got Covid-19, that timing was really bad because he would definitely have played against Cardiff and that would have given him some rhythm and momentum.

"He is a young lad and everything will be fine in the future but at the moment, it's for sure harder."

Future elsewhere?

Regardless of what Klopp has said, the fact remains that Gomez is not playing a great deal of minutes — and he may have to consider leaving Liverpool in search of regular first-team football.

Aston Villa have been tentatively linked with a move for the 11-cap England international, given the connection between their head coach Steven Gerrard and the Reds.

A move to a club that can provide more assurances over playing time could well be what Gomez needs to reignite his career.