Arne Slot eased the pressure when he led his Liverpool side to victory over West Ham United at the weekend, but in a matter of days, the Reds will have hosted Sunderland and travelled to Elland Road to face Leeds United, and that will make a more accurate barometer of this squad's level.
The pressure has cranked up in recent weeks, and who of a red persuasion could contest the scrutiny? The Premier League champions had lost nine of 12 matches in all competitions before arresting the slump, and after the November international break, Anfield has been left reeling after successive drubbings dished out by Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven.
It's clear that Liverpool have lost their way, but that doesn't mean they can't get back on track. A summer of record-breaking spending has packaged the Reds team with so much quality, but it's true that Liverpool are an imbalanced outfit.
wirtz-konate-isak-liverpool
Sporting director Richard Hughes may need to dig back into the transfer market, which will be upon us in less than a month.
Liverpool's January transfer plans
It's incredible that after spending more than £400m this summer, Liverpool still need to address a number of areas across Slot's squad. Namely, Liverpool need a centre-back, and Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo has emerged as a leading contender to strengthen the frontline this January.
But with Marc Guehi out of contract at the end of the season and Manchester City also holding talks for Semenyo's services, FSG may be tempted to look elsewhere.
And according to Caught Offside, Juventus' rising star Kenan Yildiz has been shortlisted as a Semenyo alternative, having enjoyed a rip-roaring start to the campaign in Italy.
Juventus' Kenan Yildiz reacts
The 20-year-old certainly wouldn't come cheap. Viewed as one of Serie A's brightest young stars, Juventus do not want to sell the attacking midfielder, but a concerted approach from FSG could help shift some weight.
With Chelsea also interested, the Old Lady are looking to bank a €100m cheque (translating to £88m) for their prized player.
Why Liverpool want Kenan Yildiz
Yildiz might be young, but he is "already one of the best left wingers in the world", according to one Serie A scout, and has a far higher ceiling than the 25-year-old Semenyo besides.
Juventus' Kenan Yildiz celebrates
Semenyo is the talk of the town in the Premier League, but he's gone five matches without a goal involvement after such a prolific start to the campaign.
Yildiz, by contrast, is spreading out his output, notching both strikes in Juve's recent 2-1 league win over Cagliari.
He is a ferocious runner and he is sharp with his playmaking. As per data-driven site FBref, Yildiz ranks among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
In this he has what it takes to match Semenyo's athleticism and dynamism. In this he can become one of the Premier League's finest.
Moreover, Yildiz has only missed one big chance in the Italian top flight, scoring four times.
League Stats 25/26 - Kenan Yildiz vs Antoine Semenyo
Match Stats (* per game)
Matches (starts)
Goals
Assists
Touches*
Shots (on target)*
Accurate passes*
Chances created*
Dribbles*
Recoveries*
Tackles + interceptions*
Duels won*
Data via Sofascore
From a statistical standpoint, Semenyo has probably enjoyed the better season so far, but data only tells so much of a story in football, and Yildiz is clearly making startling progress at such a young age, close now to establishing himself as one of the best in the business.
He is "100% a superstar", in the eyes of analyst Ben Mattinson, so dynamic and electric down the left flank. His duelling success doesn't yet match Semenyo, who is one of the Premier League's most combative wide forwards, and in just a few years, he could be far outstripping the Ghana international.
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Whether Liverpool opt to fork out close to £100m for an up-and-coming talent remains to be seen, but Yildiz has already proven that he belongs on the world stage.
Semenyo would be a terrific signing, but the Turkish winger has that special something that suggests he could become one of the very best in the business.
Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo Related
[Better move than Semenyo: Liverpool set to table bid to sign £53m "machine"](https://www.footballfancast.com/better-signing-than-semenyo-liverpool-to-table-bid-for-camavinga/ "Better move than Semenyo: Liverpool set to table bid to sign £53m "machine"")
Liverpool and FSG are considering a host of positions ahead of the January transfer window.