Liverpool's revival continued with a hard-fought win at Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, but it would be remiss to avoid the glaring issues that remain within Arne Slot's squad.
The Premier League champions will not defend their title this season. Too much is wrong, with tactical imbalances persisting and key personnel beginning to succumb to injuries.
Alexander Isak, 26, is unlikely to play a significant part again this season - if any - after breaking his leg against Spurs while in the process of scoring. Micky van de Ven clattered into him. Liverpool chiefs are bleak in their outlook, and expect a lengthy layoff.
Now, if it wasn't clear before, do Liverpool need to push and sign a new forward during the January transfer window.
Who Liverpool are looking to sign in January
At the top of Liverpool's Christmas wish list is Bournemouth superstar Antoine Semenyo, whose eight-goal and three-assist return in the Premier League has sparked something of a frenzy for his signature, which is available for £65m for the first ten days of the winter transfer window.
Antoine Semenyo goal involvements per season (timeless)
Unsurprisingly, competition for the Ghana international is thick, and though reports are conflicting, transfer insider Ben Jacobs believes "Manchester United and Manchester City are the leading contenders."
Sporting director Richard Hughes understands the severity of Liverpool's attacking crisis, with Isak ruled out indefinitely and Mohamed Salah away at AFCON.
Therefore, a move could be made for West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen, with TEAMtalk revealing that Liverpool would be ready to act on their long-standing interest in the right-sided forward by making a bid, but only if the player becomes available.
Jarrod-Bowen
Indeed, Irons owner David Sullivan would only allow him to leave if an offer exceeded £100m, and even then, it might not be enough. The Hammers are five points adrift from safety in the Premier League, and losing Bowen at the campaign's midpoint would all but condemn them.
Why Liverpool should sign Jarrod Bowen
Cast your mind back to August 2023. Salah is being courted by suitors in the Saudi Pro League, and Liverpool are to reject an offer worth £150m for their Egyptian superstar.
Salah was and is irreplaceable, but Bowen had been earmarked as a potential successor at the time, having been said by talkSPORT host Tony Cascarino to have entered "the Salah club" due to his prolific, intelligent style off the attacking right flank.
Jarrod Bowen goals per season (timeless)
The 29-year-old Bowen's vast Premier League experience suggests he could have a lot to give Slot's Liverpool over the next few years, should a move indeed be in the pipeline.
He might have only scored five goals - supplying one assist too - across 17 league outings this term, but the £150k-per-week talent's consistency and talismanic reputation at the London Stadium suggest he could add more stability and dynamism to Liverpool's right side, much needed if Salah is to leave, as has been mooted after his outburst at Elland Road earlier in December.
Bowen is a star and he's a leader. This is exactly the kind of player Liverpool need to maintain the Salah-esque presence that may or may not be wrenched from Slot's squad for good in the coming weeks.
And it's not as if Bowen lacks athleticism and pace. In fact, Sofascore record that he averages 4.6 duels and 1.5 dribbles per match in the Premier League this season. Semenyo averages 6.1 duels (though a lot of this is due to his aerial prowess), and he has completed 1.6 dribbles per game.
Given that FBref data shows that Semenyo is one of Bowen's most statistically comparable rivals in the Premier League this season, it's clear that Liverpool could hit the jackpot with this one, signing a player whose loyalty and talent over in east London could be attributes to endear him to the Reds fanbase swiftly.
West Ham - Record Premier League Scorers
Player
Michail Antonio
Jarrod Bowen
Paulo Di Canio
Mark Noble
Carlton Cole
Data via West Ham
After all, Semenyo is earning quite considerable praise for his clinical edge, but Bowen still ranks among the top 9% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals scored per 90 - and in a rather uninspiring West Ham team at that.
Liverpool certainly wouldn't be happy to pay a £100m sum for Bowen's services, but a deal could be struck for a more agreeable fee, especially if the Three Lions star agitates for a long-fated move to Merseyside, playing a role that Semenyo may well not be able to match, should he join Liverpool instead.
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