Liverpool secured a spot in this season’s Champions League group stages after emerging victorious in the 2nd leg of the last qualifying rounds at home on Wednesday night.
The Reds saw off Hoffenheim in a 4-2 win, coming out tops of the double-leg affair 6-3 on aggregate.
However, having conceded 3 goals across both legs, Liverpool’s defensive issues were once again exposed, and former left-back and Kop legend John Arne Riise believes centre-back Dejan Lovren remains a weak link.
The Champions League winner was clearly not impressed by the Croatian’s performance against the German visitors, and he tweeted: “Surely we have or there is better CB then Lovren? He makes too many mistakes. He said he wanted to show he is one of the best in PL?? Well…”
Never one to highlight a problem and not proffer a solution, Riise further said: “I think Lovren need more competition or more pressure to get to his best. Look at Moreno, Stepped up and proves he got it”
The Spaniard left-back lost his berth in manager Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI to a makeshift defender in James Milner last term, but has since forced his ways back into the German’s plans, with competitions from the England international utility man and summer arrival Andrew Robertson forcing out the best in him.
Liverpool have tried to get Southampton’s centre-back Virgil van Dijk all summer to no avail, and were he to be snapped up, Lovren is expected to make way and drop off the starting XI.
Landing a quality option in centre defence this summer could make a lot of difference in Liverpool’s campaign. Van Dijk or not, Klopp must bring in someone to give Lovren a run for the money this summer, or he risks watching his defence constantly get torn apart all season.
