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Joe Gomez has revealed how he formed an instant bond with Virgil van Dijk in Liverpool, even though his teammate regularly gave him an ear.
Gomez and Van Dijk have become Jurgen Klopp’s first-choice central pairing this season with the Reds with a record 25 clear points at the top of the Premier League.
The England international had played just five games in the Reds’ position before Van Dijk arrived for £ 75 million in January 2018.
And Gómez has explained why the duo has become such close friends on and off the field.
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“Virgil’s stature when he came to the club was already enormous,” said the 22-year-old.
“He was a central youth, he hadn’t had as many games as I would have liked, but as soon as he came in, he spread his arms wide and we immediately formed a bond.”
“The fact that I am a down to earth person means that we get along very well. Off the field we have a great relationship, we talk and at times like this FaceTime and we talk about general things in life.”
“That helps on the field when you have an understanding and he is your partner at the end of the day.”
“Sometimes he is raging me! But it is a great help and a boost in confidence to have someone like him by your side. When there is a one-on-one battle, you know he will dominate. He doesn’t really lose headlines at all.
“In the stadium, every time Virg falls, there is a gasp and concern! He is a true dominant force and it is a pleasure to play alongside him.”
Gomez joined Liverpool from Charlton Athletic in the summer of 2015 and was thrown directly into the starting lineup on the left side by then Reds boss Brendan Rodgers.
Liverpool was one of the many clubs interested in singing Gomez and, Speaking to Sky Sports, he said, “At that point, I went to see Brendan and he made me feel safe.
“Looking back, it was daunting. It’s a huge club. I don’t think I realized the club’s stature before I went there in terms of expectations and pressure. You have to accept that if you don’t act you have to carry it on your chin.
“When did I realize the size of the move? As soon as I went to preseason, I was used to staying in the UK and we went to Thailand.”
“We showed up at the hotel and it was ridiculous, security everywhere and hundreds of people.
“Then we flew to Australia and played Brisbane Roar and the stadium was full and that was the first time I heard that you will never walk alone and realized it was a different scale.”
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