Jurgen Klopp throws weight behind an England recall for Joe Gomez

Jurgen Klopp has backed Joe Gomez’s claims for an England recall - arguing he would be able to fill four different positions in Gareth Southgate’s Euro squad.

Gomez won the last of his 11 international caps back in 2020 but has become hugely important to Liverpool this season playing at right-back, centre-half, left-back and in the last couple of matches midfield to help cover the club’s injury crisis.

With injury doubts over several players including Kieran Trippier, Marc Guehi and Harry Maguire in addition to longer-term absentees Luke Shaw, Tyrone Mings and Reece James, 26-year-old Gomez has hit form at the right time with England’s next squad announcement due on March 14 for games later this month against Brazil and Belgium

At the Euros this summer in Germany, Southgate will be restricted to a 23-man party placing versatility at a premium.

‘I am not standing here telling Gareth who he should pick but you can get one player and have four positions covered. Wonderful,’ said Klopp.

‘If you play football at this level, there is (big) difference between centre-half, full-back, right, left, to the No 6 – and he is capable of that transition in his mind.

‘He is one of those stories. What a wonderful player he is and I am so happy he can show that again.

‘In midfield, the game is coming from all angles. Everything changes and he has dealt with it so well, it’s crazy. Really good and super-important.’

Liverpool fans have taken to shouting “Shoo-oot” whenever Gomez is near the opposition penalty area as he seeks his first senior goal in 234 games for Charlton and Liverpool.

Klopp says he’s partly to blame as he likes to hold the defender back at set-pieces because of his pace to stop potential counter-attacks.

But the Kop boss did admit he’d let the player take a penalty in the right circumstances.

‘I don’t know how I would react if he scores – it would be spontaneous,’ grinned Klopp. ‘I would let him take a penalty, but in the 89th minute if we were winning 4-0!

‘The longer without a goal, the more difficult it is. He is our protection at set-pieces. He’s not even in the other penalty area to get hit by the ball because we need his speed if the opposition clear.’