No one expected Liverpool's defence of their Premier League title to go so poorly this season and Arne Slot has now been told what he must do before the situation gets even more desperate
08:30, 19 Nov 2025
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Etihad Stadium on November 09, 2025 in Manchester, England.
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Liverpool's defensive frailties have been highlighted(Image: Michael Regan, Getty Images)
Liverpool icon Robbie Fowler has urged Arne Slot to sign a new centre-back in January.
The Reds' form this season, which started off brilliantly, has taken a nosedive due to a dreadful run that saw them lose six out of seven matches between late September and October across all competitions.
Several factors contributed to this slump, which has seen Liverpool drop to eighth in the Premier League table - just below Manchester United. Yet, the situation could deteriorate further due to the lack of depth in central defence.
Both Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have been underperforming compared to their usual high standards. But an injury to either defender could spell catastrophe for the Reds.
Backup Joe Gomez, who was close to leaving for AC Milan in the summer, has only featured in four league games this season. All of his appearances were as a substitute, totalling just 45 minutes of play, which suggests he currently lacks the match fitness and sharpness to effectively replace Konate or Van Dijk for a prolonged period.
Slot had attempted to plan for the worst-case scenario during the summer by securing promising talent Giovanni Leoni for £26million from Parma, before setting his sights on Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi. However, Leoni was cruelly struck down by an ACL injury on his debut in September, while Guehi's deadline day move to Anfield fell through after Palace refused to part with their star man.
Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace clapping
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Marc Guehi's move to Anfield broke down in the summer(Image: Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
Former striker Fowler, speaking on behalf of Adventure Gamers, has now issued a warning that Liverpool desperately need to address their centre-back crisis during the January window by bringing in at least one player.
Fowler said: "I'll be genuinely amazed if Liverpool don't bring a centre-half in. I think Liverpool have needed a centre-half full stop. You look at Joe Gomez. Joe Gomez is a wonderful player and I really like Joe, but he hasn't really put a long streak of games together because he's just injured, through no fault of his own.
"So I think Liverpool are probably lacking a little bit of depth in the defensive area. God forbid anything happens to Virgil van Dijk, then it puts them in a really worrying position."
Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool
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Ibrahima Konate's Liverpool future is uncertain(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Liverpool have been linked with numerous defenders in recent weeks, from Juventus' Gleison Bremer and Inter Milan's Alessandro Bastoni to Borussia Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck. The latter is reportedly refusing to sign a new contract with Dortmund.
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Konate's own contract situation is also uncertain, with just six months remaining on his current deal. This makes a new signing vital as the Frenchman could sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club in January.
Slot will be hoping for more solidity from his defence when his team face Nottingham Forest this Saturday, before hosting PSV in a Champions League clash four days later.