Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has issued a stark warning to his former club, stating they must sign a defender in the January transfer window to avoid the nightmare scenario of missing out on next season's Champions League.
A Season of Two Halves
The Reds' campaign under new manager Arne Slot has descended into chaos after a promising start. Having won their first five Premier League matches, the team's form has dramatically collapsed. They have lost five of their subsequent six league games, a dismal run that has seen them plummet to eighth in the table. They now find themselves a significant eight points behind early leaders Arsenal.
While there was a notable high with a victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League, Carragher's concerns are firmly fixed on the domestic league. He believes the summer changes implemented by Slot, which included new signings and an attempt to shift to a more possession-based, attacking style, have backfired spectacularly.
The Physicality Problem
Analysing the team's struggles on The Overlap podcast, Carragher pinpointed a critical weakness. "I think there are lots of little things. But if we’re being honest, looking at the games they’ve lost and the type of games they’ve lost, they can’t handle the physicality of the Premier League," he stated.
Carragher suggested that Slot's attempt to emulate a style similar to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City has left the squad exposed. "He’s trying to push Liverpool one way and I think the Premier League has gone back in terms of physicality. I don’t think this group of players is equipped to win the Premier League this year," he added.
His solution is clear: the club must prioritise signings with "more physicality, more pace, more power" when the transfer market reopens in January. He delivered a blunt ultimatum, stating, "I think if Liverpool don’t sign a defender in January, they could miss out on the Champions League."
Summer Spending Under Scrutiny
This warning is particularly damning given the club's extensive investment just a few months ago. Liverpool spent a colossal £446m in the summer transfer window, making the current predicament all the more remarkable.
Defensive reinforcements were part of that spending spree, with Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez arriving at Anfield. However, neither player has yet found their footing. Other big-money arrivals, such as Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, have also struggled to make an impact, though Hugo Ekitike has been a rare bright spot.
Manager Arne Slot appears to have already accepted that a title challenge is off the table. Following a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, he moved to quash any title talk. "The last thing I should speak about is the title race. We have to focus on getting results," said the Dutchman. "Result after result after result before we can even think about that. The reality is that we are eighth... We have to improve, that’s obvious."
With the pressure mounting, the January window is shaping up to be a critical moment for Slot's tenure and Liverpool's aspirations for a top-four finish.
