Klopp admits Hendo needed in midfield as he hints he needs new centre-back

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Jurgen Klopp has suggested that Jordan Henderson will not be dropped to defence to cover for the potential absence of Joel Matip against Manchester United on Sunday, further hinting at the need for defensive reinforcements.

Long-term injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, coupled with the fragility of Joel Matip, has left the German with something of a selection dilemma as the club prepares to host Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Red Devils.

“We have to see, we have to decide then, we have to look at him [Matip], how he’ll train and how he looks in training, these kind of things. But we still have different solutions,” the former Dortmund coach said. “Hendo is, for us, very important in midfield as well so, we just have to see. But it’s not decided yet, why should I?”

Liverpool’s skipper has already been utilised as a makeshift centre-back in the 1-0 loss at Southampton last week.

While the English international did a respectable job at the back, we can’t afford to lose his presence in the midfield against United; risky as it might be, the more sensible option would be to select one of the Academy graduates for the job, if Matip isn’t fit.

The ridiculousness of our current situation, however, is made clear by the fact we’re even having to consider moving a second central midfielder into the backline.

READ MORE: ‘Joel is close’ – Klopp offers hope of Matip return for United clash in big injury update

If ever there was an indication that the club is in desperate need of a new centre-half, it was right during that press conference.

We at the EOTK understand that current global circumstances hardly make finding a solution any easier, but it would be near negligent to allow the side to go into the second-half of the season without dipping into the window.

Eder Militao and Sokratis Papastathopoulos have been identified as potential options, but it remains to be seen whether Liverpool will take advantage.

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