Joe Gomez insists four-way chasing Liverpool are taking nothing for granted after last season's struggles… as he reveals how Jurgen Klopp's summer overhaul reignited the fire at Anfield
- Liverpool are still fighting on four fronts this season
- The Reds are top of the league and have knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup
- It's about survival! FA Cup replays must continue for the good of English football It all starts
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Joe Gomez has hailed a 'freshness and fire' around Liverpool's camp following the summer rebuild and admitted the Reds are taking nothing for granted after a turgid season last year, with Jurgen Klopp's side still battling on four fronts .
The Premier League leaders have a chance to put one foot in the Carabao Cup final when they host Fulham in the first leg of a two-legged semi-final on Wednesday, while they thrash Arsenal in the FA Cup and remain in last place . -16 draw for the Europa League.
But after finishing fifth last season, a position that seemed a miracle considering their first half of the season – the Reds were 10th after this number of games – Gomez has said the team has learned that football is not always plain sailing and that his neither do they. take this good start lightly.
“We don't want to get dizzy,” said Gomez, who will play his 200th game in a Liverpool shirt when he plays against Fulham. He is also their longest-serving player and the only survivor from when Klopp took over.
'We are all full of desire and want to make the most of the season. All we can do is take it one match at a time.
Joe Gomez insists Liverpool are taking nothing for granted despite an excellent first half of the season so far
The Reds advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup with an impressive 2-0 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday evening
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“I know it's a cliché, but there is desire and we have a platform to build on. We can't take that for granted, as we know from last season. Things haven't always been smooth sailing and we've gone through some tough times, but we've built on them and learned from them.
'So we have to continue with it. Look where it takes us.
'There is certainly a good bond in the team. There is freshness and fire in the team.
We don't analyze too much who we have lost and who we no longer have. We have top players that we missed this year: Thiago, (Andy) Robertson, Kostas (Tsimikas), Mo goes (Salah to AFCON).
“But the gaffer keeps repeating: we can all play defense and we can all defend, which means we don't have to worry about who's missing.
'We have to maintain that mentality. It's still early and there's still a long way to go, but we can only take one at a time.'
Gomez, who excelled alongside Virgil van Dijk at centre-back before a nasty injury, has shown his usefulness to the team this season with great performances at right-back, center-back and left-back.
He has had to fill in on the left side in recent weeks due to injuries to Andy Robertson (dislocated shoulder) and Kostas Tsimikas (broken collarbone), but Gomez says he is learning to adapt and be versatile.
Gomez has had to fill in on that left side in recent weeks due to injuries to Andy Robertson (above) and Kostas Tsimikas
Liverpool will have to make do without Mohamed Salah for more than a month as their talismanic striker is due to play in the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt
Jurgen Klopp has insisted Liverpool are desperate to continue their winning run
“It's different as a left back,” he added, laughing.
'It was a challenge to adapt. Small, tiny differences that might not be noticed, maybe how you receive the ball and so on.
'But the people at the club know me now, they know I will give everything.
'I have been here long enough, but I am grateful to be able to play for the club. Attack every match, dig in as a team and try to do what we can do as a collective. We have some injuries, but we continue to persevere.'
After 199 appearances, Gomez is yet to score a goal for the club (or at Charlton before his move), but he has come close with a few tries in recent weeks. The 26-year-old burst out laughing when asked about it, a question he is clearly used to from friends.
'Ha, it's funny! Eight years have passed and now everyone is talking about it, I don't know what prompted it! I also want to influence the game when I am forward and be positive.
'Hopefully it will happen, we'll see how I celebrate. I'll let Mo take off my shirt!'