Why is Joe Gomez Not Starting in Liverpool vs PSV Tonight?

Is Joe Gomez playing today was the question that was storming on the internet today. But Joe Gomez is unlikely to feature in the starting XI of Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven at Anfield, given that he was injected in his knee, as confirmed by Arne Slot. The Centre-Back is not completely fit to feature in the XI, as admitted by the Liverpool boss himself. Gomez did not feature in the game against Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League, which they lost 0-3. As a result, Liverpool slotted in Dominik Szoboszlai as a makeshift defender, which raised a lot of eyebrows and questions about Gomez's absence. Slot answered it ahead of the match against PSV and confirmed that his Centre-Back isn't completely fit.

Is Joe Gomez Playing Today in Liverpool vs PSV Eindhoven?

The Liverpool Boss confirmed that Gomez was treated for his injured knee and would hence not be available to start against PSV. “He is one of the five defenders we have. Normally, I wouldn't go into detail, maybe that much, but he had an injection last week in his knee," Slot said in the press conference ahead of Liverpool's match against PSV Eindhoven.

Given that Gomez only featured in the Carabao Cup, and Szoboszlai was picked ahead of him, Slot's selection against Nottingham Forest was questioned. "Apart from maybe me making the decision to play Dom or someone else in that position, this is also to do with him not being completely fit," Slot claimed.

In the press conference, Slot added that Gomez will continue to be part of the group, just as he was during the match against Forest. He, however, confirmed that Gomez wasn't able to train last week. "Although he is in the group tomorrow, as he was on Saturday, he wasn't able to train last week every single time,” Slot added in his statement. After the Liverpool and PSV lineups were out earlier today, it was made clear that the player will not start and is likely to make an appearance from the bench.

Liverpool's Injury Concerns

The Reds have been suffering on the defensive front, especially due to Jeremie Frimpong's hamstring injury and Conor Bradley potentially being out of action for three weeks. Likewise, Florian Wirtz has been out of action, and Giovanni Leoni's availability is uncertain for the near future.

Slot noted the shortage of defenders in Liverpool's squad and added the importance of Gomez, given that he is the only Centre-Back. While he was aware of a back-up option in the Left-Back, the Liverpool Boss noted the absence of Gomez's replacement. “We have five defenders available, and [left-back] is the only position where we have double,” Slot said.

Gomez hasn't been able to feature regularly in Liverpool's starting XI lately due to his injuries. It has led to the Reds not being at their best on the defensive front. The Centre-Back might need time to recover fully before returning to the side in the next few weeks.