Jamie Carragher has claimed that Liverpool are in dire need of a player like Philippe Coutinho, suggesting that Jurgen Klopp never replaced the Brazilian star.
Klopp’s side slumped to another Anfield defeat on Thursday as Chelsea ran out 1-0 winners.
In doing so, the Blues ensured that Liverpool made history for the wrong reasons by being the first Reds team to ever lose five consecutive league games in a row, at Anfield.
The trio of Sadio Mane, Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino has fired the Merseysiders to Champions League and Premier League glory within the past two years, but the hosts had to wait until 85 minutes to register their first shot on goal against the Londoners.
That’s a symptomatic of something being very wrong among Liverpool’s attacking players, and Carragher feels that a magician like Coutinho – sold to Barcelona in 2018 – is now being sorely missed.
He told Sky Sports: “Teams are coming to defend deep, and Liverpool haven’t got anyone between the lines to play that pass. They had Philippe Coutinho but he left so they built in other areas. But they need that type of player.”
Liverpool have done remarkably well since selling Coutinho to Barca but Carragher is right in saying that the lack of a proper number 10 is harming Klopp’s side.
Firmino, as talented as he is, isn’t cut from the same cloth as an established playmaker and that’s something to look at during the summer transfer window.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
