It didn't take long for Liverpool's cautious stance to be swiftly justified.
With Joel Matip joining long-term injury absentee Ibrahima Konate on the sidelines, worries over the fitness of Joe Gomez meant that, just two games into last season, Jurgen Klopp was compelled to partner Nat Phillips with Virgil van Dijk at the heart of defence for the visit of Crystal Palace.
Far from being a luxury, having a fifth senior centre-back was a necessity, Liverpool mindful of the troubles of the 2020/21 campaign when a catalogue of injuries in the position saw Academy graduates Phillips and Rhys Williams guide the Reds over the finishing line to an unlikely Champions League qualification.
