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Liverpool would NOT have lost to Man City if THIS star played - Danny Murphy
LIVERPOOL would not have lost to Manchester City on Thursday if Joe Gomez was fit and playing.
Liverpool still favourites for league title say Burley and Mariner
That is the opinion of former Liverpool and England midfielder Danny Murphy.
Gomez is currently out injured with a fracture to his left leg sustained in the win over Burnley in December.
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The England international had formed a strong partnership at the back for Liverpool with Virgil van Dijk before his injury.
Dejan Lovren has started the last five Premier League games and had been in a good run of form.
If Gomez was playing would he have suffered the same embarrassment of athleticism?
But the Croatian has been criticised for his performance in the 2-1 loss to City at the Etihad.
And Murphy reckons Gomez would not have given away either Sergio Aguero’s or Leroy Sane’s goals.
“If Gomez was playing, with his pace and recovery, is Sane getting in behind?” Murphy said on talkSPORT.
“Would Gomez be beaten like Lovren did on that near post?
“Lovren has done well to come back from where he was at a year ago and he’s a good second choice.
“But if Gomez was playing would he have suffered the same embarrassment of athleticism?
“Sane is quick, but Lovren was at fault, really.”
Liverpool remain four points clear of second-placed City at the top of the table.
But boyhood Reds fan Murphy reckons the title would have been over if Liverpool beat Manchester City an extended the gap to 10 points.
“There are lots of aspects of the game but ultimately what we saw was two wonderfully gifted teams going head to head,” he added.
“I’m a Red and I’m desperate for Liverpool to win it, and I think if Liverpool had won it and gone ten points clear it would have been done.”