Joe Gomez insists he will come back even stronger from his latest injury setback with Liverpool.
The defender was recently ruled out for up to six weeks after suffering a fracture to his left leg in Wednesday’s 3-1 win over Burnley.
A spell on the sidelines marks a cruel disruption to his formidable form at centre-back over the opening months of the season.
Gomez was rewarded for his stunning efforts on Monday with a new long-term deal set to keep him at Anfield until 2024.
Discussing his recovery, he told Liverpoolfc.com: “I’ve been here a few years and I am still young, but it’s something I’m used to and I am capable of dealing with setbacks like this. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again.”
“It will be tough for me sitting out for a while, but I will do everything I can to get back better and stronger.”
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Gomez has experienced his fair share of injury setbacks since signing from Charlton Athletic in the summer of 2015.
The Englishman saw his first season at the club come to an end in October when he was ruled out for a year with anterior cruciate ligament damage. His next start in a competitive first team match would not arrive until January 2017, when he featured in an FA Cup tie against Plymouth Argyle.
An injury to Nathaniel Clyne during pre-season subsequently paved the way for Gomez to share the workload at right-back with Trent Alexander-Arnold over the 2017/2018 campaign.
His performances later earned him a maiden call-up to the England senior squad and put him in surprise contention for a place at the World Cup. An ankle problem sustained whilst on duty for the Three Lions in March then shattered his dreams of going to Russia, as well as ruling him out of Liverpool’s Champions League final against Real Madrid.
He has since returned to strike up a commanding partnership with Virgil van Dijk amid the Reds’ unbeaten start to their Premier League title charge.
For every injury blow, there has been an admirable response.
To overcome adversity at such an early stage in his career is the sign of both a remarkable character and a supremely-gifted player. It need only a look at the disappointment amongst Reds in light of his injury to realise just how important he has become to this team.
He says he’ll come back stronger and we have every reason to believe him.