Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has issued a scathing assessment on his old side's midfield options following more dropped points in the form of a 0-0 draw away at Crystal Palace.
Jurgen Klopp's men have endured a miserable season so far and currently languish as low as seventh in the table, just one point in front of Brighton having played one game more than the Seagulls. For all of the issues that currently plague the Reds, one problem stands out above the rest and that is their midfield.
Liverpool fans have long been calling for additions in that area and the club's response was to sign Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus in the final hours of the summer window. The Brazilian has been injured for the majority of the season however, featuring just once in the Champions League.
Saturday night's trip to Selhurst Park saw Klopp opt to select a midfield that consisted of club captain Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Naby Keita.
It was a trio that failed to create much and as a result the Reds fired a blank at the home of the Eagles.
After the honours ended even, Owen let rip at the midfield and placed some of the first-team regulars into different categories.
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“It’s also an area [the midfield] that will be changing soon," he told Premier League productions. "James Milner can’t go on forever. Jordan Henderson can’t go on forever. I think that area of the pitch is going to need a bit of surgery and I think it’s going to happen in the summer – everyone can see it. Jurgen Klopp can see it.
"People talk about the age of the midfield there, whether Milner or Henderson should be replaced. They are still their best players in there – people say they are too old, but they are still the best players.
"Fabinho has been average this season. Really average. Harvey Elliott, when he came on at half-time, he give the ball away more than he kept it. Naby Keita is just not good enough for a midfielder, in my opinion, for Liverpool. It’s all right fans saying, ‘we need to change Henderson, we need to change Milner and get a new youngster in'."
Having filed Fabinho as average, Keita as not good enough, questioning Elliott's performance and claiming Henderson and Milner are too old, it is clear Owen wants reinforcements.
Liverpool will need to bolster their midfield with some new signings in the summer, but there are fears over just how much money the Reds will have to play with when the time comes, especially if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Klopp addressed those fears recently, admitting: "It’s not helpful [if Liverpool miss out on the top four]. Money always has an impact. But this cannot be that much of an impact, let me say it like this. Of course it is influential but this is a summer where we have to be in the market, definitely. I am sorry that we cannot guarantee the Champions League at this moment but it’s not done yet."
