After Liverpool’s 0-0 draw against Newcastle United, the Premier League race is more fierce and challenging.
After the West Brom game, Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp admitted that while Liverpool is still on top after the draw, “that just shows how difficult the season is for everybody.”
While Liverpool is currently in the top position in the league, the club’s fierce rivals Manchester United is in second with only three points behind. Other teams like Leicester City, Tottenham, Everton and Manchester City are also in the title race.
One of Liverpool’s main concerns is defending. The club lost its most important defender Virgil Van Dijk to an injury at the beginning of the season. The available defenders could still not make up for Van Dijk’s absence. Also, Liverpool defenders Joel Matip and Joe Gomez were both recently injured and so Klopp might rely on the young defenders in the upcoming games.
Liverpool legend John Aldridge told Sunday World that “word has been coming out of Anfield suggesting Liverpool are not looking to sign anyone next month, but it has to be a smokescreen because they simply have to sign a centre-half if they are serious about retaining the Premier League title.”
Talking about Liverpool’s injury crisis, Aldridge said, “The injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez have ripped a hole in Liverpool’s defensive line and with Matip clearly struggling with his fitness, Liverpool are horribly short at the centre of their defence.”
Aldridge also suggested that Liverpool could make a new signing during the January transfer window and claimed that “Liverpool’s transfer committee, and especially recruiter-in-chief Michael Edwards, has done a magnificent job of identifying the right players in recent years and now they need to pull another rabbit out of the hat.”
While it’s unclear whether Liverpool will actually sign a centre back in January, the club will have to find a solution to the current defence crisis.
