'Absolutely exceptional' Joe Gomez 'deserves' England call-up - Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hailed Joe Gomez's outstanding performances for the club this season, sharing his belief that the defender's recall to the England squad is fully deserved.

Gomez, who last represented his country in 2020, was chosen by Gareth Southgate for inclusion in the Three Lions' squad for their upcoming friendlies against Brazil (23 March) and Belgium (26 March) at Wembley Stadium - their final games before Southgate names his squad for Euro 2024.

Gomez, who is in contention to add his 11 senior caps, last played for England in the 3-0 friendly win over Wales back in November 2020.

Speaking about Gomez's call-up, Klopp expressed his delight, stating, "Joey deserves it, absolutely. What a season he played so far, he is absolutely exceptional."

Versatility

Having made 40 appearances for Liverpool in the 2023-24 campaign, Gomez has been a consistent presence in Klopp's sides, showcasing versatility across multiple positions. Only Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo, with 41 appearances each, have featured more than Gomez this season.

"He played so many different positions. Really happy for him and I saw on his face he was very happy about it as well," Klopp said.

The Liverpool boss emphasised the importance of Gomez's contributions to the team, remarking, "I said a lot of times, without the kids we are not where we are – and without Joey we would be definitely not where we are in the moment."

No call-up for Elliott

However, while Gomez's deserved recall is a decidedly good news story, there is reason to take issue with another omission from Southgate's squad: Harvey Elliott.

Liverpool's 20-year-old midfielder has been in superb form of late and another of the Reds' stars who have stepped up amid the ongoing availability issues.

In his last nine outings in all competitions, Elliott has six assists and a goal and is able to operate either as part of a midfield three or out on the wing.

Interestingly, Southgate did decide to call up former Reds captain Jordan Henderson, who has won one game out of eight since signing for Ajax in January.