Anfield comeback on the cards for Gomez

Joe Gomez’s long, gruelling road to full sharpness is finally set to result in a return to first-team action, with the defender to be included in Liverpool’s squad to face Plymouth in the FA Cup. 

The 19-year-old has yet to play a minute under Jurgen Klopp, having damaged his anterior cruciate ligament shortly after the German’s appointment as manager in October 2015.

He sustained the injury while on international duty with England U21s, suffering a further setback during his rehabilitation in pre-season when he picked up tendinopathy of the Achilles.

But having made his comeback in November for Liverpool’s Under-23s against Burnley in the Lancashire Senior Cup and featuring a further five times for them, Gomez is due to be included in a first-team matchday squad over a year after last being named in one.

"He’s in good shape,” Klopp said in his preview for the third-round tie.

"First game at Anfield for a long time - maybe it would not be the biggest surprise if he would be in the line-up, if nothing happens.

"[It’s the] next step on a long way to go; he already had a long way but everything is good. 

"That’s what we said when we spoke about it - it was not our idea to give him on loan to some other club.

"It would be the next step and nice for all of us because he’s a wonderful boy and we are really happy for him that he’s fit now. 

"He had a few games with the second team, he’s very self-critical because it was not always his absolute best, but that’s normal after a long period of injury and not playing football, so that’s all normal.

"But he’s on a good way, in training he looks really good, so it’s the logical next step."