Jurgen Klopp hasn’t addressed key defensive problems at Liverpool, says the Daily Telegraph’s Matt Law on the Sunday Supplement.
Klopp’s men were thrashed 5-0 by Manchester City on Saturday, although Liverpool did have Sadio Mane sent off in the first half.
Liverpool showed familiar defensive frailties in the defeat as they failed to bolster that area of their back line in the transfer window, instead splashing cash on attacking players Mohamed Salah and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Virgil van Dijk was a target for Liverpool earlier this summer, but the Reds withdrew their interest after Southampton complained to the Premier League over an alleged illegal approach.
Speaking on the Sunday Supplement, Law said: “Didn’t the result tell us more about Liverpool’s defending rather than Manchester City’s attacking?
“It showed they don’t have a squad capable of shutting up shop – they haven’t addressed problems already there.
“I wasn’t impressed with them at Watford – they’ve conceded eight goals in two away games. I find it weird that Jurgen Klopp is going for players like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Thomas Lemar, yet it’s absolutely clear they need a central defender and possibly a goalkeeper.
“I don’t get why they made Virgil van Dijk their number one target and then when they couldn’t get him, say that they’re not interested in a central defender. There are other central defenders out there that would improve Liverpool’s defence.”
The defeat was Liverpool’s first of the season – their biggest under Klopp in all competitions. However, following City’s ruthless attacking performance at the Etihad, Pep Guardiola’s side are now favourites to win the Premier League with the bookmakers.
Despite the convincing victory, the Mail On Sunday‘s chief football writer Rob Draper is not getting carried away with City as he saw plenty of vulnerability in their backline in the first half.
He said: “Liverpool created a lot of opportunities in those 37 minutes – Klopp was disappointed they didn’t create more considering the positions they got into.
“In that period, City looked vulnerable defensively but they looked outstanding going forward, with a better forward line than last year.
“I’m not sure it told us too much. When you see a 5-0 win over Liverpool, you think it’s pretty emphatic but you want to see them tested against eleven men and someone to really go at that defence. The subsequent games in the Champions League and Premier League will do that.”
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