Ings and Gomez Injuries Leave Liverpool Squad Looking Thin and Ruing Loan Deals

Ahead of his first game in charge of Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp has suffered a double setback, with both Joe Gomez and Danny Ings being ruled out for the rest of the season with ACL injuries.

Gomez, the 18-year-old defender signed from Charlton Athletic in the summer, suffered his injury while on international duty with England Under-21s. He was substituted 10 minutes from the end of their game against Kazakhstan on Tuesday night.

Ings, signed from Burnley in the summer, ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in his first training session back at Melwood after making his debut for England on Monday in Lithuania.

Losing the young duo is a huge blow for Klopp, whose squad is beginning to look very thin.

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It's particularly disappointing for Klopp given that Ings and Gomez are two young players whose qualities and attributes are what the German desires. Both are dynamic, aggressive players. Gomez's pace in particular would have been desired in defence; Ings' pressing ability in attack similarly.

With Jordan Henderson, Christian Benteke and Roberto Fimino also sidelined against Tottenham Hotspur, Klopp's options look pretty thin.

It's in defence where options are most limited, with Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno the only two full-backs fit and available. Injury or suspension to either will create a huge issue. They will also both be required to play in domestic and European games.

Indeed, Gomez's injury and Klopp's arrival is likely to offer an opportunity for forgotten man Jose Enrique. The Spaniard hasn't featured since being subbed off at half-time against Bolton in January.

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Enrique, even if he were to return to the fold, will be far from match fit, having not been part of Brendan Rodgers' plans in pre-season and having been made to train alone with fellow isolated duo Mario Balotelli and Fabio Borini. The two strikers left the club, but Enrique has remained.

But Klopp will now be left to rue the departure of other players under Rodgers' management.

With Liverpool's squad looking so thin, there are several players out on loan who could have proved useful at this point, especially to provide depth and back-up for the Europa League.

Lazar Markovic (Fenerbahce), Andre Wisdom (Norwich City) and Tiago Ilori (Aston Villa) are the three names who stand out from the list of 19 players out on loan whom Klopp could have done with right now.

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Markovic's departure was baffling, leaving the Liverpool squad extremely short of wide players, and the Serbian winger would be a player you'd expect to thrive under Klopp. His pace and direct running are attributes that Klopp would desire.

Without Markovic, Jordon Ibe is the only direct winger in the Liverpool squad. The teenager has gone from being lauded in pre-season by Rodgers, starting in a front three in the opening game of the season, to playing in an unfamiliar left wing-back role in his last outing against FC Sion.

Ibe, like many of the rest of the squad, looks drained of confidence.

While Markovic would have offered Klopp a very good option for the wide positions, especially in the Europa League, Wisdom and Ilori would have offered depth in defence.

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With Jon Flanagan still sidelined, Moreno and Clyne—plus Enrique—are the only full-backs at Anfield. Wisdom could have played in Europa League games and domestic cup competitions.

Ilori is yet to make his debut for Liverpool, seemingly a victim of being a signing championed by the transfer committee at Anfield and therefore marginalised by Rodgers' political gamesmanship.

But the Portuguese centre-back has the attributes that suggest he would thrive under Klopp: He's quick and comfortable playing from the back. A far cry from Dejan Lovren.

Again, you'd imagine playing time in the Europa League would have been ideal for Ilori.

Whether any of the loaned-out players can be recalled looks unlikely, although it was suggested last January that Divock Origi could have been recalled early from Lille, so perhaps we will see such an option attempted in the winter transfer window.

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Klopp's options against Tottenham are limited, but the first XI won't be a weak one—only Henderson will be the real player missing.

But it's the games after that where Klopp will have more of an issue. After White Hart Lane, he has first games at Anfield, hosting Rubin Kazan on Thursday and Southampton on Sunday.

Due to injuries and due to Rodgers having loaned out players who are now needed, there'll be little room for rotation—especially as Rodgers' side failed to win either of their Europa League group games so far.

After the euphoria of Klopp's arrival on Merseyside, the German may be realising the size of the task he has inherited and ruing some of Rodgers' decisions.