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Liverpool ace reveals training secret which 'massively' helped injury comeback
JOE GOMEZ has revealed he made a special calendar to help him stay focused during his long injury lay-off for Liverpool.
Joe Gomez has been sidelined for almost a year with a cruciate ligament and Achilles injury
Gomez picked up a knee injury while on international duty with the England Under-21s last October and then damaged his Achilles which has seen him sidelined for almost a year.
The 19-year-old started his Liverpool career strongly and made five Premier League starts for former manager Brendan Rodgers before injury struck.
The ex-Charlton man is yet to impress new boss Jurgen Klopp, but he has revealed he is back to full fitness and raring to go after counting down the days on his home-made injury calendar.
Joe Gomez has made one reserve appearance for Liverpool this season
Joe Gomez - Spotlight
“Towards the end, the final two months, I bought a calendar and put it on my wardrobe and I wrote out every day and ticked off every box,” Gomez said.
“With the nature of my Achilles injury, I could write out my distances and I was checking off each week – ‘This week I finished 5k, this week I finished 8k.’
“That was massive for me because I was counting down and looking at the week itself, instead of focusing on a long-term goal.
"That helped me massively.”
Gomez returned to first-team training last month and has featured in one match for the Liverpool reserves this season.
However, the teenager may struggle to break back into the first-team due to James Milner's impressive performances at left-back this season.
Joe Gomez is back in full Liverpool training
The former England international was used as a makeshift full-back by Klopp but has since made the position his own, helping shore up Liverpool's defence.
The Reds face Stoke at Anfield today (5.15pm) with a win moving them up to second - six points off league leaders Chelsea.
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