JURGEN KLOPP SAYS the fit-again Joe Gomez is ready to play a part for Liverpool in the second leg of their Uefa Champions League quarter-final tie against Porto on Wednesday.
England international Gomez has not featured since fracturing his leg in a Premier League game against Burnley in December.
The 21-year-old returned to the bench for the 2-0 victory over Porto last week and, with Dejan Lovren unavailable through illness, is a contender to start at centre-back in the reverse encounter.
Joel Matip appears likelier to hold his place alongside mainstay Virgil van Dijk, but Gomez could be called upon at Estadio do Dragao.
“He is getting better and better,” Klopp said at Tuesday’s pre-match news conference.
“Whether he’s ready to play 90 minutes from the start in a Champions League game, I’m not so sure.
Can he come on and do a great job? I would say yes, that is possible, and that’s the most important thing for us.
Liverpool are in a strong position to advance to the semi-finals thanks to the goals scored by Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino at Anfield.
Porto boss Sergio Conceicao saw enough to claim are Liverpool are “sometimes” the best team in the world, a label Klopp hopes to do justice.
“Sometimes we are really good. Hopefully we can show it again,” the German said.
“There are moments before we win the ball or after we win the ball when the boys look really, really good.
“It’s a compliment but we know we have a tough job to do. We are here to go to the next round. We have to fight really hard.”
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