Was tough to not be involved in playing XI initially, says Liverpool's Joe Gomez

Liverpool's defender Joe Gomez has admitted that he indeed had a tough time when he was not being picked in the starting playing XI during the 2019-20 season.

Gomes had made just one Premier League start before December last year and had to wait a long time to start in the playing XI.

Eventually, the 23-year-old defender went on to become a key part of Liverpool's Premier League-winning team this season.

The defender also helped to record 10 clean sheets through an 11-game run for Liverpool.

"It was tough. I mean, I never had a period probably that long whereby I was fit but not involved. But it's part and parcel of being here and at a club of this stature. I had to just bide my time and keep working hard in training. It's never easy as a player to sit out and watch from the sidelines for that sort of period of time but it's part and parcel, like I say, of being here," the official website of Liverpool quoted Gomez as saying.

"Unfortunate things happen and players get injured, I knew it was important at that point that I had to play my part. Obviously we were in a good place already at that point come December, things were positive, where we were in the league. I was eager to not want to let anyone down, or just continue that level and play my part," he added.

Liverpool won the 2019-20 Premier League season after finishing with 99 points from 38 matches.

In the last 12 months, Liverpool has managed to lift the Champions League, Super Cup, World Club Cup, and now the Premier League.

The 2020-21 Premier League season is slated to commence from September 12.

In the next season, Adam Lallana would not be there with the Reds as his contract has come to an end.

( With inputs from ANI )