Boo who? Liverpool star Joe Gomez admits jeers from own supporters ‘hurt’ as talk of fractured dressing room at Anfield is addressed

As the longest-serving player in the current squad, Gomez is better placed than most to understand the shifting moods of the Anfield faithful. The versatile defender didn't hide his disappointment after a section of the crowd turned on the team during and after the disappointing 1-1 draw against a struggling Chelsea side. The result leaves Arne Slot's men still needing a win from their final two games to secure a top-five finish.

Addressing the vocal discontent, Gomez revealed the impact it has on the veteran members of the team. “We feel it. It's the last thing we want. For us older boys who have experienced so many good times here, it does hurt. If it didn't then you shouldn't still be here. We want to make it right. I understand the frustration, yeah, 100%. We’ve all said on record a few times this year we know this is not where we want to be and the position we want to be in. We understand it. I hope you could see the urgency that we want to win," said the England international.

One of the loudest points of contention during the match was Slot's decision to withdraw 17-year-old sensation Rio Ngumoha, who had been the Reds' most creative outlet. The fans' angry reaction was immediate, but Gomez was quick to defend his manager's decision by providing context from the dugout. The teenager was replaced by Alexander Isak after struggling with a fitness issue that the crowd was unaware of at the time.

“To give a perspective from the bench, Rio's young and he played in a high-intensity game," Gomez explained. "Physically he was tired, and those are the subtle things behind the scenes you probably don't realise. But we get it: Rio is a top player and has the ability to be a bright, bright star for us in the future. But it was the later stages of the game and he’s tired. But he's flying, he looks good for us, he’s a big threat and if he comes off it’s like ‘oh’ and the fans are entitled to that opinion."

With Liverpool enduring a difficult season following massive investment in the squad, questions have been raised about unity behind the scenes. However, Gomez dismissed suggestions that the dressing room has become divided under Slot's leadership. He insisted that the senior players are working hard to help the new arrivals adjust to the immense pressure that comes with representing the Merseyside giants.

“Everyone in that dressing room wants to do well. I think if things change in any workplace in terms of personnel it's always going to take a bit of time," Gomez noted. "There's so many conversations and it is our responsibility, all the players and the ones who've experienced it, to try and get that across in training. This place comes with a lot of expectation and pressure and that takes time to understand and really get a full picture of. We have to just do our best to rally around each other and try to get the boys’ heads in the right direction."

Despite the toxic atmosphere, the focus remains on ensuring Liverpool do not slip out of the top five. The draw against the Blues was a missed opportunity, but the Reds still hold their destiny in their own hands. Regarding the pressure on the manager, Slot insisted he is "100 per cent convinced" he can win back the fans once the squad reaches full fitness and gets a proper summer together.

Gomez concluded by reiterating that the tactical shift under the new coaching staff is still a work in progress. "We have to remember that tactically we made a step last year which was very effective and one of the strengths of our coaching staff is to adapt every game. We get that sometimes it's not as fluid or as high intensity on the ball as always. It does get frustrating when it gets fragmented but there’s also been times when it’s controlled the game. The black and white thing now is we need Champions League football, that’s the objective we get that," he said.