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Liverpool FC## Joe Gomez's injury just 10 minutes into Liverpool's opening pre-season game was sadly no surprise, and the club only has itself to blame as it risks falling into the same trap
04:00, 27 Jul 2026
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JULY 25: Liverpool's Joe Gomez is injured during the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Sunderland AFC at GEODIS Park on July 25, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images)
Joe Gomez lasted just 10 minutes of Liverpool's opening pre-season game(Image: Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Image)
You have to feel for Joe Gomez, but perhaps the saddest part of his injury just 10 minutes into Liverpool’s first pre-season game of the summer is that it simply didn’t come as a surprise.
Seeing the defender going down and holding his leg has, unfortunately, become far too common a sight during his Anfield career. When he is fully fit, he is such a useful commodity for Liverpool - a center-back who can play anywhere in the back four is like gold dust in a world where Mikel Arteta can win the Premier League title by virtually abolishing full-backs from his team.
The sad truth is that Liverpool just can’t rely on Gomez though. We’re less than a month away from the start of the 2026/27 season, and we’re once again waiting to see how long the 29-year-old will be ruled out for.
More worrying is that you could see this coming from a mile away. With Ibrahima Konate gone, the Reds began pre-season with four center-back options - one is injury-prone, one is 21 and last played a competitive game in February before undergoing shoulder surgery, one is 19 and last played a competitive game in September before rupturing his ACL, and the final option has just turned 35 and has barely been given a break over the last couple of years.
Something like this was always bound to happen. To make matters worse, the 18-year-old who came on to replace Gomez on Saturday can’t even play for Liverpool next season.
If it wasn’t clear before, Liverpool needs a new center-back. It also needs a new right-winger, a new right-back, and a new midfielder. Just a reminder, we’ll be in August by the weekend.
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Yes, the World Cup has not made things easy, but this is very quickly getting out of hand - and it’s a situation that is very much of Liverpool’s own doing.
The center-back issue could have been rectified 12 months ago. Marc Guehi was practically in a Liverpool shirt and ready to make his way to Merseyside before the plug was pulled on the deal by Crystal Palace. Sure, the Reds can’t really account for the selling club getting cold feet, but this was a deal that shouldn’t have been left until the last minute.
Just a few months later, they had the chance to rectify that missed opportunity, but instead sat back and watched Manchester City nab him for for $27 million.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 15: Marc Guehi #6 of England looks on during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final match between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on July 15, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Julian Finney - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Liverpool could have signed Marc Guehi last season, which would have solved a lot of problems(Image: Julian Finney - FIFA, FIFA via Getty Images)
Yes, that is a lot for a player with just six months left on their contract. Yes, Liverpool would go on to secure a deal for Jeremy Jacquet and, yes, Guehi was never seen as a priority. But right here, right now, the decision to let that deal pass the club by is looking more and more baffling.
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And given just how much work is needed on this squad - just ask Andoni Iraola - it feels like Liverpool is once again falling into the same trap of leaving it too late to address such a vital area of the team. Virgil van Dijk is 12 months away from leaving Anfield, and the options beyond him are either largely untested or unreliable.
Finding a replacement for Mohamed Salah is the obvious priority, but Liverpool cannot go another summer without addressing its issues in defense.
James Findlater
James Findlater
James Findlater is a Content Editor for Liverpool.com, bringing nearly a decade of experience to his coverage of Liverpool FC and the wider football landscape. James started his professional journey in January 2015 and has established himself as a versatile sports journalist. Before his current role, James served as a Sport Content Editor at the Liverpool ECHO and worked as a Trends and Football Writer for both the Manchester Evening News and Grimsby Live. During his time at Grimsby Live, James was a dedicated reporter for Grimsby Town FC, providing detailed match analysis and club news. His commitment to excellence in regional journalism was recognised in 2021 with a nomination for a Regional Press Award.
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