Jamie Carragher is ‘certain’ Liverpool would ‘win the league’ if they address one glaring issue
Jamie Carragher has implored Liverpool to address one significant gap in their squad in the January transfer window, in the belief that doing so would get them over the line as Premier League champions.
The Reds still lead the way in the top flight, boasting a four-point advantage on Arsenal and a game in hand, but a run of just three wins out of seven in the division has been concerning, along with an alarming defensive deterioration which has seen 12 goals conceded in that time.
Prior to that sequence, Arne Slot’s back four had been breached only eight times in 13 league matches, and the rumoured pursuit of left-backs such as Milos Kerkez and Patrick Dorgu points towards one position which appears to be a priority for Anfield chiefs this month.
Carragher: Liverpool need another left-sided defender
Speaking on the latest episode of Stick to Football, Carragher voiced his concern over the lack of left-sided defenders at Liverpool, making the comparison with other clubs who all have quality options in that regard.
The pundit said: “Liverpool haven’t got a player that every other club has. It’s a left-sided defender who can play centre-back or left-back. Arsenal have Calafiori, even United have Martinez, Chelsea have got Colwill, City have got Nathan Ake and Gvardiol. Even Tottenham have Van de Ven who can do a little bit at left-back.”
However, the former Reds defender added that, should FSG address that gap in the squad this month, the Reds would be almost impossible to catch in the Premier League title race.
Carragher stated: “I’ve said this for a long time, Liverpool need a left-sided defender who can do a little bit of both – stature, presence and a bit more power. If Liverpool sign that player in January – I haven’t got any names and nothing’s been linked – but I think if Liverpool did that, I’d be certain that they’d win the league.”
Carragher right to highlight notable gap in Liverpool’s squad
That particular area of Liverpool’s squad has been under the microsope for some time, with Andy Robertson’s performances declining this season and Kostas Tsimikas unable to nail down a regular starting berth at left-back.
Joe Gomez is the only other player in Slot’s squad who’s shown that he can be utilised in that position, and he’s currently injured (he’s also more at home in centre-back role).
The Reds have four senior central defenders, each of whom are predominantly right-footed (as is Wataru Endo, who can also fill in at the back); and of that quartet, only Virgil van Dijk would be primarily left-sided.
Somewhat annoyingly, Liverpool had been linked with four of the players that Carragher mentioned, only to see Riccardo Calafiori and Micky van de Ven both opt for north London and Josko Gvardiol move to Manchester City, while also being unable to entice Levi Colwill away from Chelsea.
It’s an issue that FSG need to address sooner rather than later, as evidenced by the team’s rapidly increased concession rate on the pitch. There’s a Premier League title there to be won for Slot’s side – it’d be criminal to see it slip through their fingers because of a failure to act in the January transfer window.
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