Jurgen Klopp makes his biggest ask of Joe Gomez yet

Jurgen Klopp has asked a lot of Joe Gomez this season but it reached another level on Wednesday as Liverpool hosted Southampton. The 'defender' is invaluable.

Joe Gomez has a unique place in the Liverpool squad as the sole player who was at the club when Jurgen Klopp arrived. He's now set to see the entire Klopp reign - the only man to do so.

But that's not the only notable role he's fallen into. Gomez has become the major utility player at Liverpool, with Klopp labelling him a 'life saver' earlier this season.

That was because the defender shifted into a left-back role to cover the double injury blow to Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas. But even before then, Gomez had been playing a priceless role as backup at right-back.

Conor Bradley suffered an injury earlier in the season, delaying his involvement until January. Gomez, primarily a centre-back, stepped in to cover Trent Alexander-Arnold and did it very well.

Gomez, then, has spent this season playing both full-back roles despite neither being his natural position. Things then moved to another level on Wednesday as Klopp named the centre-back as his defensive midfielder against Southampton in the FA Cup.

Now, Gomez is certainly not a natural there - but needs must when you've got as many injuries as this and are three days out from 120 minutes in a cup final. Klopp trusted his no.2 to play yet another role this season, and there aren't too many players who would have that trust.

Especially as these four roles are so wildly different for a player like Gomez. At right-back, he's got to get down the line and cross it. At left-back, he's cutting inside and offering a passing option between the lines.

Now he's being asked to operate in front of the defence and to push through the middle under pressure when able. And all of that on top of his usual centre-back role.

The fact Gomez can do all of this is remarkable and it shows how invaluable he's become in this squad. Liverpool would have been lost without him this season.