Jurgen Klopp has lamented the loss of Joe Gomez to a fractured left leg but suggested Liverpool were ‘lucky’ that the injury was not more severe.
The young defender was stretchered off after 23 minutes of the Reds’ 3-1 win over Burnley on Wednesday having come off worse in a challenge with Ben Mee.
The club have since confirmed that their No.12 is facing an extended period on the sidelines - and just as a packed festive fixture schedule gets under way.
Reflecting on the news, Klopp told reporters: “It’s just a shame for the boy, for us of course as well, he was in outstanding shape.
“He helped us a lot and especially because we could make these changes with Trent and Joe and that was really important because Trent is still a young boy and we cannot push through 20 games in a row.
“He would probably say it’s possible but I think it’s responsible that we have a little eye on that.
“Clyney was not available in that moment so Joe played there and it helped us massively and now Clyney is still not here and Joe is out so of course it doesn’t help a lot.
“Together with Virgil, he improved so much, it was so nice to see that he did exactly what everybody in the scouting department from Liverpool expected him to do.
“When I came in, everybody was full of praise for him and I didn’t see him in training because of the injury he got for [England] U21s.
“[It’s] a bit, I would say, lucky because it could have been worse. Six weeks for us is massive, I can’t even count the games in that period, but that means as well that he will be back for a big part of the season still and that’s good.
“At the moment he is not too well because it is still painful but when that settles we can start with the rehab and go in the right direction.”
As Klopp suggested, Gomez’s ability to play as both a centre-half and right-back has allowed Trent Alexander-Arnold’s minutes to be managed in the early part of the season.
The German is not too worried about his options on the right side of defence, however, with Fabinho and James Milner among those who can fill in there.
He added: “Yes, I have a plan - surprisingly. We will see what we can do. We still have other options, of course.
“You know all of them, you can go through the squad, a lot of players who can play that position, especially the way we play it now.
“It’s nothing to say about in the moment, we will see. Wait a little bit and then we will see what options we have.”
Gomez’s absence does, though, make giving a rest to centre-back Virgil van Dijk more difficult, particularly with Dejan Lovren currently out through concussion.
Asked about that conundrum, Klopp said: “It’s not the same intensity [as full-back] but of course it’s not cool.
“Now with Joe out, Dejan not available, we don’t have to think too much about that.
“Whenever we can we have to think about that but Virgil’s number is always up. He is ready to go again so that is good.”
