Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joel Matip were slammed after their poor defending against Bayern Munich allowed Leroy Sane to score against Liverpool.
Speaking on LFCTV, Natasha Dowie was critical of the pair after Alexander-Arnold and Matip acted poorly on a Bayern attack that resulted in Sane beating Alisson Becker in the first half.
The pundit said: “You see here again it’s that area where Trent is caught flat-footed, his recovery was quite poor, but Matip has to do better.” Dowie added: “That’s a really poor goal to concede from Liverpool. These are the things they need to get better at.”
Liverpool’s defence has been a big talking point this summer, with Alexander-Arnold’s role for the new season up for debate having flourished at the end of the last campaign in an inverted role.
However, the England international’s defensive abilities have continued to remain under the microscope from fans and critics, and there’s no denying that Alexander-Arnold was exposed in parts today against Bayern.
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Indeed, Liverpool’s need for another defender was made evident today, with the drop in quality from Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate to Matip one that could cause some issues in the new season.
Liverpool need to add to their defence after Bayern display
Midfield has been the main talking point for Liverpool this summer in terms of signing players, yet today showed that the backline could be as important an issue for the Reds.
Matip and Alexander-Arnold didn’t cover themselves in glory against the German champions, and with a heavy schedule coming up with Liverpool in the UEFA Europa League, quality depth is crucial for the Anfield side.
An injury to Konate or Van Dijk could be disastrous for the Reds, and Liverpool might have to sacrifice a midfield signing to add to their defence for the upcoming season.
