Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool reign may have started with an exciting victory, but the new Reds boss was left with a major concern after Joe Gomez suffered an injury just minutes into pre-season. 🔴😰
Liverpool opened their pre-season campaign with an entertaining 4-2 victory over Sunderland in Nashville, but the result was overshadowed by Gomez’s early departure. The experienced defender started the match as captain, only to go down inside the opening 10 minutes and require treatment before eventually leaving the pitch.
For Iraola, it was easily the biggest negative from an otherwise encouraging first outing.
“Probably the worst news has been straight away the injury of Joe,” Iraola admitted after the game. 😳
The timing could hardly have been worse. Liverpool had managed to complete their early pre-season work without losing a player to injury, only for Gomez to become the latest concern almost immediately after the opening whistle.
The 29-year-old was able to walk off the pitch without assistance, but the apparent muscle problem was serious enough to rule him out of the remainder of the game. Further assessment was required to determine the extent of the injury.
And that is where the situation becomes particularly uncomfortable for Liverpool.
The Reds are already managing fitness concerns in central defence. Jeremy Jacquet has been carefully managed after spending months recovering from a shoulder injury, while Giovanni Leoni has also been working his way back from a long-term issue. That left Iraola turning to younger defensive options during the Sunderland clash.
Iraola explained that Liverpool had deliberately taken things slowly with Jacquet because of his lengthy spell away from competitive football. The youngster is expected to receive minutes later during the club’s United States tour. 👀
That means Gomez’s setback has suddenly added another layer of uncertainty to Liverpool’s defensive plans.
The irony is that Gomez had entered the new era at Anfield with plenty of optimism. Before the tour, he spoke positively about Iraola’s arrival and described the squad as hungry and excited to begin working under their new manager. He also emphasized the importance of getting through pre-season healthy and building a strong foundation for the campaign.
Now, just days later, Liverpool are waiting to discover how significant the latest setback could be. 😬
The positive news is that the injury occurred during a pre-season match, giving the club time to assess and manage Gomez properly before the competitive campaign begins. Liverpool’s next fixtures will also provide opportunities for younger defenders to make their case.
Despite the defensive concern, Iraola’s first match still produced plenty of encouragement. Liverpool eventually defeated Sunderland 4-2, with Kieran Morrison, Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa and Lewis Koumas getting on the scoresheet. 🔥⚽
The Reds then followed that up with a 1-0 victory over Wrexham, giving Iraola two wins from his opening two pre-season matches.
But the Joe Gomez situation remains the story Liverpool supporters will be watching most closely.
With the new season approaching, Iraola needs his defensive options available and firing. Losing an experienced player like Gomez during the opening stages of pre-season is certainly not part of the plan.
Liverpool fans will now be hoping the scans bring better news than initially feared. 🙏🔴
Because if Gomez is forced into another extended spell on the sidelines, Iraola could suddenly find himself facing a defensive selection headache before his first competitive Premier League match has even arrived. 👀🔥
