Liverpool have a new look defence to start the latest Premier League season, at least when compared to just over a year ago. At the end of the 2016/17 season, the back five consisted of Simon Mignolet (or Loris Karius), Nathaniel Clyne, Joël Matip, Dejan Lovren and James Milner – traditionally a midfielder but seen as a safer option over Alberto Moreno.

During the first half of last season, Moreno came back into the side as Milner returned to midfield, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez competed at right back due to Clyne’s injury problems. Matip and Lovren retained their place in the centre of defence and Mignolet and Karius continued to share goalkeeping duties.

Now, Liverpool’s rearguard is completely different, and utterly transformed for the better.

Alexander-Arnold’s strong end to last season has seen the youngster remain ahead of the returning Clyne, with 2017/18 arrivals Virgil van Dijk and Andrew Robertson securing the left side of the defence to such an extent that they are both regarded as two of the best defenders in the Premier League. Finally, Alisson has replaced the inconsistent pair of Mignolet and Karius with what was a world-record fee for a goalkeeper from Italian side Roma.

So far, the Reds’ new backline is looking good, with their continued improvement since January now strengthened with two clean sheets to begin the 2018/19 campaign, in the 4-0 and 2-0 victories against West Ham United and Crystal Palace respectively.

In particular, the away trip to Selhurst Park presented a firm examination of Liverpool’s defence – one which they passed with flying colours. Van Dijk especially was immense, and deserved to be man of the match.

Yet special mention has to go to Joe Gomez.

The 21-year-old put on another commanding display alongside his senior partner, building on his performance at Anfield against West Ham. There was a reason both Jürgen Klopp and van Dijk went over to Gomez after the game with such delight in their faces, and not just because of securing a vital three points in a potential title race.

Both manager and partner were proud of Gomez, who stepped up against Palace in one of the toughest away fixtures on the Premier League calendar, and came through with his team unscathed and his own reputation firmly enhanced.

Gomez has always had the potential to succeed at centre-back, with the position earmarked for the England youngster ever since he arrived in 2015 from Charlton Athletic. Yet, until this season, Gomez barely featured for Liverpool in the middle.

Initially, Brendan Rodgers deployed Gomez at left-back, again at Moreno’s expense, and the then 17-year-old was a breath of fresh air bursting down the left for the Reds.

Unfortunately, his injury problems began soon after, as Gomez suffered a cruciate ligament injury while on duty with the England Under-21s which ruled him out of the rest of the season and Klopp’s arrival.

Klopp gave Gomez time to find his way back to the first team, as he continued to suffer knocks and set-backs from his long-term injury. He eventually made a few fleeting appearances during the second-half of the 2016/17 season, but lacked sharpness and confidence.

Yet that all changed last season, as full-back once again provided an opening to first-team success for Gomez, and he took the chance with both hands.

Alexander-Arnold may have won the race to be Clyne’s long-term successor at right-back, but the determination and talent demonstrated by Gomez last season appears to have convinced Klopp to offer the England international a run alongside van Dijk at centre-back.

Finally, after three long years, Gomez now has the chance to become a regular in the position he wants to become a regular in for Liverpool. Dejan Lovren’s post-World Cup issues, Ragnar Klavan’s departure and Matip’s continuing injury problems have all coincided favourably for Gomez to play at centre-half.

Yet whether by luck or judgement, so far Klopp’s decision looks to have paid off. Van Dijk and Gomez could just be beginning to form a long-term defensive partnership that not only spells trouble for Matip and Lovren, but any other potential centre-backs that were being heavily linked with a move to Anfield in the summer. Would Burnley’s James Tarkowski or Ajax’s Matthijs de Ligt represent an upgrade on Gomez in the middle?

Many would certainly argue for the latter, a supremely talented youngster who is already captain of the Dutch giants and van Dijk’s partner for the Netherlands national team.

Yet players arriving from Holland have experienced mixed success when adjusting to the Premier League – for every Luis Suárez there is an Afonso Alves – and even if de Ligt can match the hype and considerable investment, the majority of Europe’s elite will be fighting over his signature. Liverpool would have a strong case with Klopp and van Djik, but then so would Real Madrid and Barcelona, while Tottenham’s recent record with Ajax could be another factor to consider.

Furthermore, the arrival of any centre-backs in the future should not put Gomez off from believing that he can succeed for the long-term as a Liverpool central defender, as he is already forming a positive, student-mentor relationship with van Dijk, who clearly rates his younger teammate.

Physically, Gomez does not have a weakness, with supreme pace (as Wilfried Zaha discovered on Monday night) and added strength, and he has plenty of technical skill on the ball, showcased through his stints at full-back. He may not have Alexander-Arnold or van Dijk’s technique, but he is undoubtedly reliable and progressive when on the ball.

Understandably, his concentration still needs some work, as he can ball-watch at times, such as when West Ham’s Marko Arnautović slipped in behind Liverpool’s defence in the first-half at Anfield, only to shoot wide.

Yet Klopp has to accept that Gomez will make mistakes as a young player, and encouragingly that was his only mistake against West Ham, while he was practically flawless against Palace, hence the delight from Klopp and van Dijk.

On current form, Gomez should continue as van Dijk’s central defensive partner for Liverpool, even when Lovren returns, and, after all the struggles and adaptation during his three years at the club, prove to all why he can be the final piece in Liverpool’s defensive jigsaw.