Michael Owen claims Jurgen Klopp wants to drop in-form Liverpool star

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Former Liverpool star Michael Owen has made the slightly odd claim that manager Jurgen Klopp ideally wants to drop Joel Matip and have Joe Gomez alongside Virgil van Dijk in defence.

The ex-Red concedes, however, that Matip has made himself pretty much undroppable right now after a superb run of form since he came into the team for the injured Gomez last season.

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The Cameroonian defender has been immense for Liverpool and surely now makes sense as the automatic starter alongside Van Dijk, even if Gomez is a highly promising young talent.

Owen, however, has suggested Klopp would rather be playing Van Dijk and Gomez as his first choice central defensive pairing.

“Make no mistake, Jurgen Klopp wants to have Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk as his centre-half pairing, that’s what he sees,” Owen told Premier League Productions, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.

Joel Matip celebrates scoring for Liverpool against Arsenal

“But over the last season or so, Matip has just, you can’t hardly drop him, if you do you’re resting him and bringing him straight back in.

“So full marks to Matip, I mean he’s been absolutely brilliant.

“Last season in the Champions League he was brilliant and the Premier League as well.”

Owen is not exactly Mr Popular with Liverpool fans these days due to him playing for bitter rivals Manchester United later in his career, and he won’t have won over too many of his old fans with these Matip claims.

The 28-year-old centre-back headed home the opening goal against Arsenal in LFC’s 3-1 Premier League win on Saturday.

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