During Liverpool’s training session on Thursday ahead of the weekend’s trip to Southampton, left-back Andy Robertson encountered an issue.

According to manager Jürgen Klopp, Robertson ‘felt something’ in his groin and had to undergo a scan. Fortunately, the results looked ‘fine’, but Klopp didn’t disclose whether he would be in the starting line-up for the trip to St Mary’s.

“We have to see how we can deal with that,” he told the assembled media during his press conference.

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It wouldn’t be a surprise if Liverpool decided to adopt a zero-risk approach and leave Robertson out, given that there’s nothing to play for with fifth place already confirmed.

What’s more, Robertson will be captaining Scotland in a couple of European Championship qualifiers next month and that may be his priority at this stage.

The natural alternative would be to use Kostas Tsimikas, the 29-year-old’s deputy.

But Liverpool’s objective on Sunday should simply be to learn as much as it possibly can from the dead rubber, and Klopp may glean more from trying Joe Gomez at left-back than using Tsimikas.

Joe Gomez should play at left-back for Liverpool against Southampton

It’s easy to forget that Gomez can play there. We’ve come to classify him as a center-half who can operate as a right-back, and he’s split his minutes between those two roles this season, with the majority coming through the middle.

But if you go back to his debut season at the club following his move from Charlton, Brendan Rodgers actually used him as a left-back for the first five matches.

That campaign ended with a cruciate ligament injury in October, but nearly eight years down the line, it could prove to be a meaningful glimpse of Gomez’s versatility.

In Liverpool’s new system, Robertson often has to tuck in to form a back three when Liverpool has the ball. That’s because Trent Alexander-Arnold pushes into midfield, and Klopp needs to ensure there’s adequate cover.

Some, however, have raised concerns about Robertson’s suitability for this role. There’s a belief that it highlights some defensive weaknesses and minimizes his offensive strengths, and a risk that he’ll push forward too readily.

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Tsimikas is very similar to Robertson in style, and up to this point that’s been a blessing, offering an effective clone for the Scotsman when he’s injured or fatigued. Now, however, it may be a curse for Tsimikas, because Liverpool could do with a substantively different option.

Gomez fits the bill as a natural defender who doesn’t have the same attacking instincts as the aforementioned duo. Using a player of that mold may actually be better for balance.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be him either. Sunday’s game could simply be a trial of how a wide center-half would work as an inverted left-back in this new-look Liverpool side.

This doesn’t have to be a game the Reds simply tick off before going on their holidays. Instead, it can see Klopp try out some bold ideas to unlock the full potential of a nascent formula.

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