It was a massive day for Liverpool on Saturday, as Arne Slot took charge of his first ever Premier League match.
After almost nine years of seeing Jurgen Klopp on the touchline, it was finally time for Slot to take his bow.
Ipswich looked like tricky opponents for the Dutchman and his team. Having achieved back-to-back promotions from League One there has been a feel-good factor around Portman Road for the past two years.
Liverpool knew they’d have to be at their best to manage that and during the first-half they struggled to really get going.
Away from the pitch, though, some big news filtered through pre-game about the Reds’ transfer plans. It seems Liverpool’s new head coach has decided to put a key squad player up for sale.
Peter Crouch surprised by Joe Gomez decision
As ever under a new coach, there was plenty of intrigue surrounding who would be in Slot’s first ever starting XI in a competitive game for Liverpool.
The eleven players chosen at Portman Road will have just become the answer to a quiz question from now until the end of time.
But with Slot’s team near enough as we predicted, the real surprise came with who did not travel to Suffolk.
Slot left Joe Gomez out of the 20-man matchday squad and it has been reported that the 27-year-old is looking for a move away.
While perhaps not a huge shock given that Gomez almost joined Newcastle in June, it was still a little bit out of the blue for Liverpool supporters.
Being a former Reds player, Peter Crouch counts himself as one of the fanbase. And asked live on air by TNT Sports whether he was ‘surprised’ by the news that Gomez has been allowed to leave Liverpool, Crouch admitted that he certainly was.
“A little bit because I think he’s been a great player to have around the squad,” replied the pundit. “He’s never let Liverpool down when he’s come in and he’s given a great account of himself at Liverpool.
“He’s a great squad player but maybe it’s his decision to move on”
Liverpool make move for Joe Gomez replacement?
It remains to be seen whether Gomez does ultimately get his move away from Liverpool, but there does appear to be a market for the defender.
Should the England international move on, then the Reds will absolutely need to replace him at centre-back.
Liverpool are reasonably well covered at right-back and left-back and may not need another brought in there.
However, Gomez is the fourth choice option in the middle and unless Sepp van den Berg steps up massively, someone will surely need to come in.
There have been signs this week that that could be Goncalo Inacio. Liverpool are reportedly preparing a bid for Inacio and perhaps the news of Gomez’s potential exit comes as no coincidence.