Former Liverpool captain Graeme Souness has launched a scathing attack on the Reds' midfield - insisting Jurgen Klopp's men can no longer hold their own in the middle of the park.
And the three-time European Cup winner believes midfield reinforcements should have arrived at Anfield last summer after the club failed in their pursuit of AS Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.
Liverpool suffered their seventh defeat of the Premier League season on Saturday afternoon as they were well-beaten by Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux. Joel Matip diverted the ball past Alisson Becker and into his own goal after just five minutes as the Reds persisted with their reputation as the league's slowest starters.
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January signing Craig Dawson doubled the hosts' lead just minutes later when he was on hand to capitalise on a hideous piece of defending from Andy Robertson, Joe Gomez and Alisson to slam home from inside the penalty area. Captain Ruben Neves completed the humbling deep in the second half when he rounded off a sublime counter-attack - leaving Liverpool 10th in the Premier League table.
Naby Keita, Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic were given the nod ahead of Harvey Elliott, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho (ill) for the clash in the West Midlands and it was only the 18-year-old Spaniard who departed the field with any credit as his two starting partners endured a torrid afternoon.
Speaking on Sky Sports' Super Sunday coverage on Sunday, Souness admitted his former side is too easy to play against in the middle of the park, with their Premier League and Champions League success built on the tenacity of Wijnaldum, Fabinho and Henderson.
“A year ago they should have been looking at midfield players to buy last summer," he said. "A year ago, this was starting to show itself, the midfield. The best midfield they had was Wijnaldum, Henderson and Milner - high energy, not technically brilliant, but just high energy and they bullied players.
"They won it high up and they’d give it to the lads, the front three, and they’d go from there. Their's is not a problem that is easily solved right now because you’re looking at the midfield of Keita, the young Spanish boy and Thiago, and they’re getting bullied, and if you’re getting bullied in there you’re on the back foot most of the time."
Liverpool's midfield has been the hot topic of almost every post-match conversation this season, with Fabinho and Henderson suffering a nose-dive in form since the back-end of last season's quadruple quest. Naby Keita's persistent battle for fitness has seen Elliott involved in every matchday squad this term, while just 19 years old.
Prior to the end of last season, Liverpool did try to land a deal for Tchouameni but the France international snubbed interest from Anfield in favour of a move to Real Madrid. The Reds did complete the loan signing of Arthur Melo on the final day of the summer transfer window after Henderson suffered an injury against Newcastle United, but the Brazilian has only played 13 minutes for the Reds this term and was recently unregistered from the club's Champions League squad for the second half of the season.
There is, however, expected to be a sizeable overhaul in the summer with Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Keita all out of contract and the Reds expected to finally pursue their interest in England and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.
Liverpool are next in action against Everton on Monday week.
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