"Never put a foot wrong" - Pundit lauds Liverpool star who has 'blown hot and cold' in recent seasons
Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Garth Crooks has waxed lyrical about Liverpool defender Joe Gomez's performance in the Reds' 2-1 Premier League win against Newcastle United on Sunday (August 27).
Jurgen Klopp's side earned a stunning victory over Newcastle at St. James' Park. The Merseyside-based club, who went into the game after a 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth at home, had to fight hard to come away with all three points.
An error from Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold allowed former Everton attacker Anthony Gordon to put Newcastle in front in the 25th minute. Things went from bad to worse for the Reds when captain Virgil van Dijk was sent off for a last-man challenge on Alexander Isak three minutes later.
Van Dijk's red card forced Klopp to immediately bring Gomez on for attacker Luis Diaz. Despite the difficult circumstances, the English center-back impressed for the visitors and played an important role in keeping the Newcastle attackers at bay for the rest of the game.
The solidity at the back, thanks to performances from the likes of Gomez, allowed Liverpool to execute a stunning comeback win in Tyneside. Darwin Nunez, who came on as a second-half substitute, netted in the 81st minute and the 93rd minute to claim a 2-1 win for the Anfield outfit.
Crooks reserved special praise for Gomez after the Reds' heroics at St. James' Park. The former Tottenham forward said that the center-back did a wonderful job filling the void left by Van Dijk, although he has been inconsistent in recent seasons. He wrote in his BBC Sport column:
"Gomez, who has blown hot and cold in recent seasons, took Van Dijk's central defensive position after 33 minutes and never put a foot wrong. The victory by Liverpool, while devastating to Newcastle, may prove the turning point the Reds have been desperately searching for."
Klopp also made a bold call when he decided to replace Joel Matip with 20-year-old defender Jarell Quansah in the 77th minute. The debutant, though, did a great job in the dying minutes of the game.
How did Liverpool defender Joe Gomez fare against Newcastle?
Joe Gomez slotted in alongside Joel Matip as central defender after replacing Luis Diaz in the 33rd minute. Deployed as a left-sided center-back, he took little to no time to settle in. The Englishman proved to be one of the best players on the pitch, earning a 7.2 rating on Sofascore.
No player across both teams made more clearances than Gomez (six) in the game. The former Charlton Athletic defender also blocked one shot and made an interception. Furthermore, he won five of the duels he competed in.
Gomez completed 27 passes, including a long ball, with 90% accuracy. He registered 43 touches of the ball but lost possession only five times. The defender won two free-kicks for the Premier League giants, while conceding just one himself.