Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy says Joe Gomez should be dropped for the derby at Everton.

The 23-year-old endured a torrid evening against Aston Villa in Liverpool's last Premier League outing as they fell to a damaging 7-2 defeat.

Murphy wrote for the Daily Mail: “We cannot gloss over the defeat at Villa of course. Joe Gomez, in particular, has struggled in the heart of the defence this season.

“He does not look as confident, or even fit, compared to his prime and the manager faces a big decision whether to take him out of the firing line.

“It is always a tricky call. Some players benefit from having a breather, gather their thoughts and come back stronger.

“I always liked to have that final chance if I was out of form and invariably put in a better performance.

“For me, rising to the challenge helped, whereas being dropped might have knocked my confidence."