Speaking on TalkSport, Jason Cundy believes that Jurgen Klopp has to deal with Liverpool’s defensive problems.
So far in the Premier League Liverpool have been relatively solid defensively conceding just one goal and managed to keep a clean sheet away to Leeds United, who they saw score four past them last season.
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In the Champions League though, it appeared to be a different side at the back with Klopp deciding to give Joe Gomez a start ahead of Virgil van Dijk and that seems to be all it took to disrupt their back four with AC Milan scoring two inside two minutes late in the first half.
Cundy gave his thoughts on Liverpool’s defending (4:43):
“Liverpool play sometimes with just five at the back, they play the two centre-halves and the three midfielders, and they throw the other five forward. The front three they’ve got and you’ve got Robertson and you’ve got Trent the other side and I think that’s just the way they play.
“There will be times and tonight [vs AC Milan] they exposed that, tonight you saw two goals they conceded, very similar goals down that left-hand side their right and they got caught Liverpool and Klopp will have to deal with it.”
TIF Thoughts on Liverpool’s defending…
Last season was a difficult one for Liverpool as they lost nine games in the league, the joint-most out of the top four teams. It all started from Van Dijk picking up a season-ending injury in the Merseyside derby which was then made worse when other players picked up injuries with even Jordan Henderson having to play in the heart of defence at times, which explains why they lost key games, especially a horrific run of home form which saw them go seven games without a win.
Liverpool have to be able to rely on their two centre backs because of how attacking Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold are with the pair of them having racked up a combined total of 15 goals and 84 assists during their time with the Reds, so the partnership that Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk appear to be striking up will be key going forward.