Liverpool star banned from Arsenal FA Cup clash for bookings picked up in July
Jurgen Klopp has been given a selection headache for Liverpool’s FA Cup game against Arsenal as Owen Beck is suspended.
Liverpool have a problem at left-back, where both Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas are missing through injury. Klopp opted to recall Beck from his season-long loan spell at Dundee to give himself another option in the position, but the 21-year-old won’t feature against Arsenal on Sunday.
Beck is ineligible for the fixture at the Emirates Stadium because he will have to serve a suspension due to yellow cards picked up while playing for Dundee. The Welshman was booked while playing against Bonnyrigg Rose and Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish League Cup in July.
The FA have since confirmed that Beck needs to serve the suspension in the Arsenal game. It means that Joe Gomez is likely to continue to deputise at left-back, having started in the position in the 2-0 win over Burnley and the 4-2 victory against Newcastle.
The suspension is a blow for Beck, who has returned to Anfield keen to make the most of the chance provided by the injuries to those in his position. He played 20 times while on loan at Dundee, scoring twice and attracting interest from other clubs.
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“He made big steps,” Klopp said on the decision to recall him. “Now the situation here is clear – we lost two of our left-backs so it makes sense to bring back a boy we like who is available to us.”
Joe Gomez will play instead of Owen Beck (John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! Who is Liverpool's best option at left-back? Comment below.
Beck is one of five players recalled by Liverpool from loan spells in January. The Reds have also brought back James Balagizi (Wigan), Fabio Carvalho (RB Leipzig), Rhys Williams (Aberdeen) and Nat Phillips (Celtic) from their respective moves.
“We have to consider our own situation and stuff like this,” Klopp said about Phillips. “He will definitely be with us until the end of the month and then we will have talks and see our situation, that’s how it is.
“We really think highly of both, to be honest, because of the things the boys did when they were here. Nat, it didn’t work out 100 percent at Celtic, a little bit injuries but then if a team like Celtic is in a positive moment and you are in the team you stay in the team, if [they are] not in a positive moment and you are in the team then you might go out, so that says nothing about the quality. So, Nat will train with us and then we will see how that develops.
“With Rhys it is slightly different, he will be first with the under-21s. I will have to talk with him about why his loan spell didn’t work out, that was obviously different and the boy I know I would expect to play in Scotland, 100 percent.”
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