Jurgen Klopp’s top four options for Liverpool’s defense alongside Joe Gomez vs West Ham

For Jurgen Klopp, losing his better middle half to a season-ending injury was certainly unwanted.

And after choosing to go with Fabinho rather than Virgil van Dijk as Joe Gomez’s central defensive partner, it was certainly a disadvantage that the Brazilian suffered a hamstring injury and was ruled out until the other side of the international break.

With Joel Matip back in training but also not ready for Liverpool’s meeting with West Ham at tea time on Saturday, the Reds’ manager now faces an enigma.

Are you calling 19-year-old Rhys Williams to fill the void?

Maybe he’s turning to 23-year-old Nat Phillips or ‘Billy the Kid’ instead: Billy Koumetio, the French teenager, another teenage center-back who trains with the first team?

Or, like Fabinho, do you ask one of the club’s senior professionals to adapt, change roles and become a member of Gómez?

On Friday, Klopp hinted that he could ask an experienced director to take his place, citing the example of Javier Mascherano in Barcelona.

It’s something the German has done before and has been successful.

Mirror Football looks at the featured options available to you.

Home Williams

Klopp called Williams’ 60-minute display against Midtjylland “quite exceptional.”

“He is a talent, he plays for England Under 20s, he is 19 years old. He has not played in the Premier League yet and now he has two Champions League appearances. He did well, everything looks promising.”

Williams got the nod in the Carabao Cup over Phillips earlier in the season as well and if Klopp is picking positionally then it seems logical to start the ex-loan from Kidderminster Harriers.

Leave the boss behind

When Liverpool had similar injury problems on defense 11 months ago, Klopp called his employer.

During the Club World Cup, Henderson was asked to accompany Van Dijk on defense, and it is quite possible that Klopp will ask him to sacrifice himself and put the team in first place again.

Thiago Alcantara’s return to fitness helps, with the Spaniard very much at home in the midfield point guard role, the role that Henderson generally plays when Fabinho is away.

Returns Wijnaldum as well and changes the formation

Many moons ago, in 2017, Liverpool headed to Brighton with only a fit center and questions about how Klopp would resolve the situation.

The answer? Leave Wijnaldum and Emre Can on the defensive line and go with three in the back.

The Dutchman had never played there before and admitted after the game that he “didn’t know what to do” and had to be coached by the third center-back that day, Dejan Lovren.

It certainly worked, with Liverpool clinching a 5-1 win at the Amex. Maybe starting with Wijnaldum and Henderson or James Milner, on either side of Joe Gomez, and using Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson as wingers could be the way to go.

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It has been an extremely interesting start to the season for Jurgen Klopp’s men.

Their title defense got off to a shaky start when they overcame a seven-goal thriller against Leeds, before going to seven conceded in a beating of Aston Villa.

Virgil van Dijk’s season ended with injury in a 2-2 draw at Everton, leaving the title favorites much less secure in the back, especially with Alisson’s concern about injury.

But there is no slowdown in what will be a busy campaign, with Klopp making sure his men keep up with him as they battle for more titles.

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Start Robertson with Gomez

On the contrary, maybe using Robertson in association with Gomez and starting Kostas Tsimikas is the way to go.

Robertson has the kind of recovery pace that Klopp likes from his centers, he reads the game well and doesn’t mind getting down to business with his opponents.

It would allow Henderson and Wijnaldum to remain in midfield, while also offering Tsimikas a chance to impress.

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