Rating the Liverpool attackers and midfielders has been pretty easy, but it’s within the back four that most of the questions over this Reds side live.
Is Joel Matip the real deal? Can Dejan Lovren be a long term solution and how in the name of God has James Milner turned himself into a left-back?
Alexis Sanchez gives personal update on his fitness ahead of Man Utd clash Defence has been the obvious Achilles’ heel for Liverpool this season, but they sit top of the Premier League table, so they can’t be that bad can they?
Here we rate all the back four and take a look at a few of the defenders elsewhere that could be brought in to take their place.
Loris Karius
Karius took on the No.1 responsibility this season, but he has not exactly proven he deserves the position.
Simon Mignolet was of course a liability between the sticks, but Karius has looked every bit the goalkeeper growing into his role.
Shots conceded per PL game
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He has improved since the early jitters and produced some excellent saves against Watford, but just one clean sheet in the Premier League is not exactly fantastic.
Karius has also been helped by the fact that Liverpool concede the least amount of shots of any of the top five teams in the top flight per game.
Score: 6/10
Simon Mignolet
Mignolet has lost his place and it seems it will take a drastic change in fortunes for him to reclaim it.
He was not openly at fault in the first weeks as Karius worked to shake off a broken finger, but he conceded three on the opening day.
Mignolet still seems the same goalkeeper whenever he plays, nervous, indecisive and all at sea when the ball is above his head.
Score: 6/10
Dejan Lovren
Lovren has come on leaps and bounds since his early days at Liverpool.
He looks far removed from the centre-back that almost killed his Merseyside career within ten games.
Tackles per PL game
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But, Liverpool are suspect at the back. No fan would deny that, they concede too much at set pieces and struggle to keep clean sheets.
Lovren’s mistake against Crystal Palace is an extreme version of the fragility that lies at the heart of the back four.
We rate on him not only on his performances, but also his responsibility as a leader this season.
Score: 7/10
Joel Matip
Matip has ended up being a welcome addition to a Liverpool defence that needed someone to partner Lovren.
An ability to read the game, knowing when to come close and when to back off, powerful in the air, Matip has done extremely well.
The Cameroon international’s quality has taken almost everyone by surprise as he walked from Schalke this summer to join Liverpool on a free.
Looks a proper defender.
Score: 7/10
James Milner
It’s quite unbelievable how well Milner has done at left-back.
Milner is a midfielder through and through, but has somehow made the left flank his stomping ground.
Milner's PL season
Goals: 4
Assists: 1
Chances created: 17
Pass accuracy: 84%
Duels won: 43%
The vice-captain has been the surprise package this season and where once we laughed at Jurgen Klopp’s refusal to buy a left-back in the summer, we now stare in amazement at Milner’s class.
Almost faultless and still smashing in the goals from the penalty spot, Milner has been the best player in the back four.
Score: 8.5/10
Nathaniel Clyne
Nathaniel Clyne is a pillar of consistency at right-back for Liverpool.
Over the past two years, Clyne has most definitely been the most reliable and unshakeable player in a Red shirt.
The full-back never seems to __have a bad game and is part of the reason opponents concentrate so much of Liverpool’s left flank.
Score: 8/10
Alberto Moreno
There’s no question, Alberto Moreno dropping to the bench permanently has been coming.
Reckless in defence and too often miles out of position, the left-back was woeful in the opening game of the season.
PL clean sheets
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Milner may __have made the position his own through pure graft this season, but Moreno handed it to him in the first place.
Can’t see much of a future for the Spaniard at Liverpool, as a left-back anyway.
Might make a good wing-back.
Score: 5/10
Ragnar Klavan
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The Estonian has been pretty solid when called upon this campaign.
Raganr Klavan was never going to be the star addition, but you can’t fault him for his performances.
An excellent alternative, if only he could move ahead of Lucas Leiva.
Score: 6/10
Potential January arrivals
Aaron Cresswell, West Ham
Let’s face it, Aaron Cresswell is decent and a half.
The West Ham left-back has only just returned from injury, but could be the long-term solution at left-back for Liverpool.
He has experience in the top flight and is well accustomed to hard work as a Hammer.
Question is, would West Ham ever let him go? He’d most likely cost a pretty penny.
Niklas Sule, Hoffenheim
A centre-back that has reportedly attracted the attentions of not only Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal, but a €30 million summer bid from Chelsea.
The 21-year-old is believed to be at the very start of a fantastic career and Klopp may feel he has what it takes to mould the young German into a Premier League star.
A strong and towering defender, Niklas Sule has all the attributes to be a force in the top flight of England.
Jonathan Tah, Bayer Leverkusen
The most recent name to be talked about in the same breath of Liverpool, Klopp has reportedly identified Jonathan Tah as a potential January reinforcement.
The 20-year-old has caught the eye with some impressive performances for his side in the Bundesliga this season.
Like Sule, he may be the one for the future, but would be an excellent back-up as Liverpool prepare to compete across three fronts for silverware this season.
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