- Gomez substituted just ten minutes into Liverpool’s FA Cup defeat at Plymouth
- Liverpool eliminated from the competition after Ryan Hardie’s second-half penalty
- Slot says Gomez’s injury “didn’t feel good” but hopes it is not serious
Joe Gomez Substituted Early in FA Cup Shock
Liverpool’s FA Cup journey ended in disappointment after a shocking 1-0 defeat to Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle. However, beyond the loss, a major concern for manager Arne Slot was the early injury to Joe Gomez, who lasted just ten minutes before being substituted.
Gomez, who was handed the captain’s armband for the game, has only recently returned from a hamstring injury suffered in the 5-0 win over West Ham United at the end of December.
The 27-year-old pulled up during a defensive sprint and appeared to signal to the bench that he could not continue. He was replaced by young full-back Isaac Mabaya, making his first senior appearance.
Slot on Gomez’s Injury: “It Didn’t Feel Good”
After the match, Slot provided an update on Gomez’s condition but remained unsure whether it was a recurrence of the same hamstring issue.
“I am not too sure. I am not too sure if it was the same leg, but I haven’t had time to ask him,” Slot said.
“It was clear – I think we all saw the moment he felt a bit insecure about it because he didn’t sprint back fully. Then he said, ‘I am not 100% sure and I am afraid if I make one extra sprint, things will go wrong.’”
Slot suggested that while the injury may not be a serious tear, Gomez did not feel comfortable continuing.
“It’s not torn, I assume, but it didn’t feel good for him. That was a bit of a blow because Curtis Jones was on the bench, but he came to me this morning and said, ‘I don’t think I am fully recovered yet’ after the training session yesterday.”
What This Means for Liverpool
Slot opted to rest key defenders Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté, who were not even on the bench for the match. This left Liverpool with a heavily rotated side, which struggled against a determined Plymouth team.
With a Merseyside derby against Everton coming up on Wednesday, Gomez was unlikely to start, but his injury puts additional pressure on Liverpool’s first-choice defenders to remain fit.
Liverpool fans will now wait for further updates on Gomez’s condition, hoping that he has avoided another lengthy spell on the sidelines.
