GOMEZ OUT FOR FOUR WEEKS AS CLYNE RETURNS

JOE GOMEZ’S hopes of making the World Cup squad remain alive after Jurgen Klopp revealed the ankle injury he sustained playing for England will not end his season.

The Liverpool defender was forced off after 10 minutes of last Friday’s 1-0 win over Holland and there were fears that his campaign would be over. He was sent back to Merseyside, rather than staying with England, and had scans to assess the damage.

Though Klopp said Gomez (below) will miss the next ‘three to four weeks’ — ruling him out of Premier League games against Crystal Palace, Everton and Bournemouth, plus the Champions League quarter-final with Manchester City — he expected the 20-year- old to be ready for action by the end of April.

In the meantime, Gomez’s absence will be offset by the return to the squad of Nathaniel Clyne — he has not played since the pre-season on July 12 — and Liverpool’s manager was happy to give an upbeat assessment about both players.

‘The good news about Joe Gomez is that it could have been everything,’ said Klopp. ‘But the bad news is it is serious enough to leave him out for a couple of games but not for the rest of the season.

‘It’s difficult to give a schedule but we hope he is back in training in three or four weeks. That will give us the option to use him. But Clyney is fine now. That’s good. He played during the international break for the Under 23s. He’s in good shape so he will be part of the squad for Crystal Palace.’

Klopp is not letting any member of his squad be distracted by thoughts of Wednesday’s clash with City at Anfield and has reminded them of the importance of every test that looms.

‘We play Palace and OK, it’s not a final but it’s unbelievably important for both sides,’ said Klopp. ‘City, Everton, unbelievably important because it’s a derby. You create the basis for the finish and the final third of the season. I think we are in a good position and we

have to use it.’