Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk agreed on the Liverpool player who was most important in the 3-0 Champions League victory over Marseille, which has the Reds in the top 5 of the league table
00:43, 22 Jan 2026
Arne Slot speaks to the media after Liverpool defeated Marseille 3-0
Arne Slot credited Liverpool star defender Joe Gomez as key to the club's most recent Champions League victory (Image: TNT Sports)
Liverpool manager Arne Slot made a point of emphasizing one particular performance after Liverpool rolled past Marseille with a dominant 3-0 victory in the UEFA Champions League.
Slot singled out defender Joe Gomez for special praise following a composed and commanding display at the back. "I saw a lot of individual performances tonight, but I would like to single out Joe Gomez," Slot said after the final whistle.
"He has suffered a lot with injuries in the last few years, and I haven't picked him sometimes when he has been fit. Tonight, he was outstanding and so important."
Liverpool were already in control by halftime thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai’s free kick, before an own goal and a late Cody Gakpo finish sealed an easy European night on the road.
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While front foot dominance was key, Gomez’s influence was just as important. Team captain Virgil van Dijk reflected Slot’s praise with his own while also acknowledging Ibrahima Konate’s absence.
"First and foremost my thoughts are with Konate," Van Dijk said. "But I've played with Joe many times. It helps that we are very good friends as well. I think he was outstanding. The third goal he was the one who started it all off."
Gomez completed all 39 passes flawlessly, won all three duels, made seven clearances and two interceptions, and dominated in the air by winning both aerial duels. In the first half alone, he registered four defensive contributions while staying composed under Marseille's limited pressure.
The performance reignited online debate among supporters over whether Gomez should feature more regularly ahead of Konate once everyone is fit.
Joe Gomez fights for the ball against Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Joe Gomez impressed coaches and teammates against Marseille.(Image: Thibaud MORITZ / AFP via Getty Images)
Fan responses ranged from calls for him to start more often to others highlighting concerns about his durability.
Gomez suffered a patellar tendon rupture in November 2020 while training with England, which required surgery and sidelined him for more than seven months. That included the Euro 2020 competition, which saw Italy defeat England on penalties in the final.
A fractured leg in 2018 during a 3-1 win against Burnley forced another surgical recovery and kept Gomez out for over four months.
Virgil Van Dijk celebrates the Marseille victory with Joe Gomez
Virgil Van Dijk also had high praise for his defending partner (Image: )
Even earlier in his career, Gomez tore his right ACL while on England Under-21 duty against Kazakhstan, ending his season just months after joining Liverpool. The minor hamstring issue sustained in mid-December against Brighton was the latest issue that kept him sidelined briefly this season.
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So far this season, Gomez has made 10 Premier League appearances and two Champions League outings, totaling 334 minutes across competitions with two assists.