Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has revealed that he has been impressed with the maturity of defender Joe Gomez.
The 18-year-old moved to the Reds in the summer from Charlton Athletic in a £3.5m deal, and was handed his Premier League debut by Rodgers in his side's 1-0 win over Stoke City in their opener last week.
"I felt comfortable [putting him in the team] as he had played games and was managed well at Charlton," Rodgers told reporters.
"I wanted to assess where his pathway lay in terms of whether he needed a loan or needed to stay here and very quickly he showed me he could be a really important member of the squad.
"He can play in many positions, centre-half being the main one, but he has the flexibility and qualities to play at full-back so he is definitely a player who will add great value to our squad. What struck me when I met him was his maturity. He recognises his opportunity."
Gomez is expected to continue at left-back in his side's clash against Bournemouth on Monday.
Simon Sinclair
