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Liverpool hit a real home run off bottom West Bromwich on Sunday, when Jürgen Klopp’s men only went 1-1 after completely dominating in the first half.
It got even worse when their key midfield player, Jöel Matip, had to be pulled off the field with what looked like a groin injury after the hour had been played.
The extent of the damage is not yet clear.
Former Liverpool midfielder, and now Sky Sports soccer expert, Jamie Carragher, has had enough of the Cameroonian’s injury woes.
– It’s a great concern. Jöel Matip will not play every game for the rest of the season. It was known before he was injured against West Bromwich. It is therefore essential that Liverpool sign a midfielder in January. I said it when Virgil van Dijk got injured against Everton. Fabinho has seemed like a world-class stopper, so perhaps the club felt there was no urgency. But Matip is injured too often, his body can’t handle playing in the Premier League every week, Carragher says during a Sky Sports broadcast.
– Terribly badly biased now
One of those who has benefited from Liverpool’s injury woes in injury time is Rhys Williams. The 19-year-old has performed on several occasions as a substitute and has put in some solid performances.
Carragher still thinks that’s not enough.
– I still think that Liverpool is the best team in the league, even without Virgil van Dijk. I think that Liverpool’s only obstacle to not winning the League is the problems in the midfield. In his place came Rhys Williams, who entered the game without being able to warm up. But I know from previous experience that it is not a position for young players, Carragher notes.
He is supported by TV 2 soccer expert Simen Stamsø-Møller.
– Rhys Williams performed well, but the game against West Bromwich was one of the weakest. He did a lot of strange things in a short time. Fabinho walks in and looks like a good plug, while Rhys looks good. Otherwise, the team is good. But now they are terribly biased and are one injury away from a full crisis, says Stamsø-Møller.
He thinks Liverpool must act in January
It doesn’t take more than five days for the transition window to open. Carragher is aware that the club will have to bring a new cap during the next window.
– This does not mean that Liverpool are going to get a midfielder for £ 70-80 million, like van Dijk. They need someone who can join the team directly. “Right now Liverpool only have one senior goalkeeper and he is often injured, so they have to get a new midfielder,” says Carragher.
– The fact that Liverpool have to play with young boys in midfield is far from optimal. They now have the damage for the player that they absolutely do not want to damage. And if he’s out for a long time, it could mean a lot to Liverpool. In some situations, you see that Rhys Williams is far away. Until February, they will face Southampton and Manchester City, among others, and without Matip he can be critical, says Simen Stamsø-Møller.
Liverpool’s next game is away against Newcastle on December 30.
