ReactionJoe Gomez on City display, position change and fans' impact

With Ibrahima Konate unavailable on Sunday, Gomez moved into the middle of the Reds defence having been used at right-back in the preceding 7-1 win at Rangers.

The No.2 was in outstanding form to help the home side shut out City at Anfield, where Mohamed Salah’s composed second-half strike secured all three points for Jürgen Klopp’s men.

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Post-match, Gomez spoke to Liverpoolfc.com about another enthralling chapter in the teams’ rivalry, his approach to the challenge and why the victory must now become a platform that is built on…

Joe, an incredible performance, every one of you were 10 out of 10…

It was a great afternoon. To really embrace the atmosphere and have an afternoon like that at Anfield was special, against obviously opposition that made it feel that way. I feel like we really grinded it out and put in a performance to do the fans proud.

What was the message beforehand? It looked as though there were a few tactical alterations to the team that we’ve seen in recent weeks in terms of how you would set up – what were the manager’s words beforehand?

Obviously it’s a different system and it was just to reiterate that desire, small tweaks in the press and following and just trying to play with intensity and aggression, and play football. Keep the ball and do what we do, and that paid off when we got the counter-attack and Mo does what he does.

You were probably preparing all week to play at right-back. How does that kind of sit with you as you go into a game as high profile as this?

Yeah, it does require focus and obviously you try to visualise and then things change, but it’s part and parcel, it’s football. It’s just about trying to have the right approach towards the game regardless. Keep the principles the same. I think the whole team has the desire. We have such a good squad and mentality that everyone steps in and just tries to do their best for the team.

An incredible first half and then there was the VAR decision [to rule out Phil Foden’s strike]; you almost felt it galvanised the team as well as the crowd and it was notched up a few more decibels after that…

Yeah, it was a special one today. The atmosphere, you could feel how we fed off it as players and the supporters should take just as much credit. It’s massive, it’s the 12th man in that moment, 100 per cent, and it helped us see it out, for sure.

You have great faith in each other and it seemed like a performance like this was going to come with all the frustration that has been around this season…

It has obviously not been plain sailing and a tough year for us, but I think every week we focus on the present and try to learn the lessons. We knew we had to keep at it and something would come and something gave today. Hopefully we just carry on with consistency. It was never about getting too high or too low and it’s the same here. It’s three points and move on to the next one and try to keep consistency and keep the pressure up.

Does this feel like the start now, and does this feel like you getting back to where you were again?

It’s a platform. I don’t think we should get too giddy or anything. Take the positives from the game but focus and play with that same desire in the next one. We can’t take our foot off the gas and dwell on this, we have to keep trying to string some performances together and see where it leaves us come the break.

From your own individual point of view, to get Player of the Match in a game as big as this, will you get the chance to enjoy that and just let it sink in a little bit?

The next one comes around so quick and then after that. For sure, I appreciate it tonight but recover and go again. Personally and as a team we have to keep consistency and try to string some performances together.