Jurgen Klopp set to drop "dreadful" Liverpool player for Napoli game

Jurgen Klopp is set to drop struggling centre-back Joe Gomez for Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Napoli, according to reports.

An 89th-minute Crysencio Summerville strike saw Leeds snatch a 2-1 win at Anfield and consign Liverpool to their second consecutive Premier League defeat and their fourth in 12 games.

The Reds are now 16 points adrift of table toppers Arsenal and eight points off the top four places.

One of the many Reds players who has displayed poor form in recent weeks is centre-back Gomez.

The 25-year-old was largely at fault for Leeds’ opener. The England man attempted to play the ball to Alisson Becker without looking, but his pass wrong-footed the goalkeeper and presented Rodrigo Moreno with an open goal.

The centre-back is now likely to make way for the returning Ibrahima Konaté against Napoli, according to the Liverpool Echo.

The towering Frenchman has not played since the Liverpool’s 7-1 mauling of Rangers initially due to injury.

Now available to start, the Echo claim that Konaté is likely to partner Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the defence.

Calls for Gomez to have a spell on the bench have been widespread.

Indeed, former Chelsea and Marseille striker Tony Cascarino, was the latest to weigh in on Gomez’s form, while he also referenced Harvey Elliott’s recent difficulties in midfield.

In his Times column, Cascarino said: “Klopp must give up on some players, at least for now.

“Harvey Elliott is a really exciting prospect, but he is 19 and cannot yet reach the levels demanded of a Liverpool starter.

“Joe Gomez was outstanding in the win over Manchester City but has been dreadful for the rest of the season.”

Liverpool go into their Champions League clash with Napoli having already qualified for the knockout stages of the tournament.

Klopp’s side were thrashed 4-1 by the Serie A outfit in Italy on matchday one but can leapfrog Napoli and secure top spot of Group A if they win by three goals or more.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Joe Gomez, Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, Ibrahima Konate

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.