JOE GOMEZ is feared to have suffered a similar knee ligament injury to Liverpool team-mate Virgil van Dijk.
SunSport understands the initial worry for the Reds star is that he has damaged his anterior cruciate ligament training with England.
Joe Gomez is feared to have suffered a similar injury to Virgil van Dijk while on England dutyCredit: Getty Images
Gomez, 23, will be sent for scans to determine the extent of the problem but the early indications are worrying for the central defender.
England boss Gareth Southgate refused to speculate on the nature of the injury but he did admit he was concerned when Gomez went down.
He said: “I can’t tell you how serious it is because he’s yet to have scans.
What was upsetting was to see he was in a fair bit of pain. The fact was there was nobody around him when the injury happened. I didn’t like that element of it.
“We just have to wait and see what the scans show. We are all hopeful for him that it’s not what it might be.
“It’s not a good situation. I don’t see him being involved in the games with us, that’s for sure.
“We can’t speculate on the exact nature of the injury. It’s not possible until we’ve seen scans.
“My immediate thoughts are with him because he has had some difficulty with injury in the past.
“We are hoping as much as we possibly can and praying that it’s not going to be a long-term one but we’ll just have to see.”
And the news will be a major blow for Liverpool, who have already lost captain Van Dijk for the rest of the season with his own ACL injury.
Van Dijk underwent surgery earlier this month to repair the damage to the ligament he suffered in a clash with Jordan Pickford during the Merseyside derby.
It is another worrying development for Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, who has seen his defence decimated by injuries.
As well as the absence of Van Dijk, superstar right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold faces up to a month on the sidelines with a calf injury.
The Reds have only just welcomed back Joel Matip to their depleted backline, but makeshift centre-back Fabinho is also out.
Midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are also missing.
Liverpool have been forced to play 19-year-old Rhys Williams and last year’s outcast Nat Phillips already this season.
Joe Gomez (second left) in England training earlier this weekCredit: Rex Features
Klopp will be fuming that Gomez suffered the injury in the run-up to an international friendly.
The German coach has previously spoken out against players’ hectic schedules amid the truncated season caused by Covid-19.
Last week, he said: “We played [last month] after the international break at 12.30 on Saturday at Everton. Some of my players were coming back from Peru.
‘These kind of things should not happen.”
Joe Gomez in action for Liverpool in their 1-1 draw at Man City on SundayCredit: AFP
Gomez has started all but one of Liverpool’s Premier League games this season.
But the former Charlton ace does have a chequered past with injuries.
He ruptured his ACL on England Under-21 duty in October 2015 before tearing ankle ligaments in March 2018.
The unlucky star went on to fracture his leg in the same year – missing the 2018 Champions League final.
The Reds continue their title defence against Leicester next weekend after the international break.
They also have Champions League clashes with Ajax and Atalanta on the horizon before a busy festive period in the Premier League.
England, meanwhile, face Republic of Ireland on Thursday night before Nations League clashes with Belgium and Iceland.
Substitute Joe Gomez booed by section of England fans as he comes on against Montenegro after Raheem Sterling row
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
