The Liverpool centre-back is fit again, but he can’t play ahead of Joe Gomez.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp seems to have the midas touch as of late.
The German manager just can’t seem to do anything wrong and, considering Liverpool have a 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League with two games in hand, no fan of the Anfield club is complaining.
But he is, after all, only human and mistakes will happen eventually – and he could make one today if he brings Joel Matip back into the first XI.
Klopp revealed that the Cameroon international will return to the squad for this evening’s visit of Manchester United in the Premier League.
Matip played a huge role in helping Liverpool to a sixth Champions League crown in June and nobody would hold it against Klopp if he brought the former Schalke defender back immediately – well, nobody except perhaps Joe Gomez.
The former Charlton star has been exceptional in recent weeks; not only in the Premier League, but he also played a big role in leading the Merseysiders to a first-ever FIFA Club World Cup win in Qatar.
The truth is that although Matip was Virgil van Dijk’s centre-back partner at the time of his injury in October, Gomez hasn’t done a thing wrong to deserve to be dropped.
If he has a shocker against the Red Devils then Klopp will happily recall Matip going forward, but until Gomez does something that warrants a spot on the bench then the former Dortmund coach should stick with the Gomez – Van Dijk axis.
It wouldn’t send a good message to the rest of the squad if Matip walks back into the starting lineup at the expense of a player who has looked top-drawer in recent weeks, would it?
Matip can’t be given his starting spot back – he must earn it and it’d be a big mistake if Klopp hands it to him without merit.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
