Liverpool midfielders have been facing a lot of flak in the recent times after the club’s massive dip in the form. The reason Liverpool’s midfield has been under fire is that it is the main area which has been underperforming this season. As a result, the Reds sit sixth in the Premier League table, with their title challenge already over. They are now even struggling to crack the top-four, falling behind fourth-placed Manchester United seven points after recent defeat against Brentford.
The 3-1 Brentford loss was the melting point for Liverpool, as it was quite evident their midfield went missing and veteran Thiago Alcantara was the only one who tried to save the blushes. But the midfield crisis is also upon the Reds who have brought in just one player in that department in the last two-and-a-half-years. Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant has now slammed their Brazilian midfielder Fabinho, who was one of the catalysts in scripting the Brentford loss.
He’s just fell off that little cliff – Pennant on Liverpool’s Fabinho
Liverpool literally seem to have no legs in their midfield which is struggling to keep-up their form. Moreover, the fans and pundits even have been perplexed at the club’s reluctance to invest in that area since their last signing came there in 2020 in a 29-year-oldThiago. As evident, the Reds have brought in no player in their midfield with an eye on the future.
Although four of their midfielders are well within their 30s, in Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliot, Naby Keita and Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain, none of them is a regular starter. That tells Liverpool’s story of their over-reliance on the old legs of Jordan Henderson, Thiago, Fabinho and James Milner, who is in the contention of a contract extension at the club despite being 37. Moreover, Keita and Chamberlain too are staring at the exit doors, either this month or at the end of the season.
The Reds’ planning for the midfield has been more bizarre, which was clear when despite claiming that the club won’t go for a ‘panic buy’ after the midfield crisis at the start of the season, they brough it Juventus’ injury-ridden midfielder Arthur Melo on a loan deal. Within weeks of joining his new club, Melo sustained a knee injury and underwent a surgery on it which has still kept him sidelined.
Furthermore, Klopp also confirmed that they missed out on the talented 22-year-old midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni in the summer who chose to join Real Madrid. Amidst such dull days, their only positive step was the acquisition of 20-year-old Fabio Carvalho who has shown substantial progress. Lamenting on their midfield, former Reds’ winger Pennant said:
“Fabinho, now, we’ve seen the best of him – we’ve used the best of Fabinho. He’s just fell off that little cliff, Thiago, he’s great on the ball, but he’s not going to give you that protection. I think Elliott, one for the future [but] right now won’t get in many top 10 midfields – never mind Liverpool’s to start [his career with]. So, with them three players there, it’s lacklustre. We definitely need to strengthen in those areas, for sure.”
Klopp has reiterated recently that the club is looking for a solid midfielder, who will be one for the present as well as the future. Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham is their prime target, who again prefers a move to Real Madrid according to multiple reports. It will another disaster for Liverpool if they fail to land their top target in a repeat of events from the last summer, when the Los Blancos snatched Tchouameni from them.