Joel Matip facing extended spell on Liverpool sidelines after latest – Robinson
Paul Robinson has suggested Joel Matip will struggle to break back into the Liverpool XI.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Spurs and England number one suggested the 31-year-old has been surpassed by Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate in the pecking order this week.
Matip is currently sidelined with a calf injury suffered in the 3-2 loss to Arsenal.
He is not expected to return until early November.
Gomez and Konate have both played alongside Virgil van Dijk in Matip’s absence.
Gomez produced a man of the match display in a 1-0 win over Man City on Sunday (16 October).
Konate impressed on his return from injury against Rangers in the Champions League on Wednesday (12 October).
When asked by Football Insider if Matip’s first-choice status is in question following Gomez’s and Konate’s displays, Robinson said: “Matip may struggle to get back into the team when you think about what’s happened this week.
“Konate was outstanding against Rangers. I was very impressed.
“Liverpool have performed better all-round in the last couple of games, especially defensively. They have been far more solid.
“They look like the Liverpool of old. The defence has been a big part of that.
“Jurgen Klopp has been looking for personnel and a formation that works all season. When a team performs like that, you do not break it up. The centre-half partnerships have looked a lot better.”
In other news, a pundit has told Liverpool to forget about signing Kylian Mbappe and concentrate on 19-year-old instead.