James Pearce has suggested that Liverpool’s recruitment team need to seriously consider potential additions to the midfield.
The journalist pointed to skipper Jordan Henderson’s invariable form and the expiring contracts of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita.
“I think Henderson’s form has been up and down. Thought he was very good in the second-half v City, less so tonight,” the reporter wrote in an Athletic Q&A.
“In terms of the summer, yeah I certainly think it’s an area that needs to be looked at.
“Situation where both Oxlade [Chamberlain] and Keita down to their final year this summer so decisions to be made.”
It’s more than likely that Julian Ward and Co. will also be firmly aware of the ageing members of the squad in Thiago Alcantara and James Milner, with the club in need of lowering the average age of the midfield department.
The acquisition of Fabio Carvalho will help massively in that regard, though there’s an argument to be made for further reinforcements of a similar ilk.
At the current point in time, however, there’s plenty of reason to feel excited about the future of a midfield that could contain a combination of Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and the Fulham starlet.
Though far from being a serious concern at this point, of course, a holding midfield alternative to Fabinho will need to be considered in the next couple of seasons to properly safeguard the future of the squad.
Elliot, Jones and Carvalho are all attacking midfielders. What LFC are in urgent need of, is a back up to Fabinho and a box to box midfielder who is energetic but can also get a tackle in.
All the best midfields have a combination of flair and steel. Look at City with De bruyne and Rodri; the two compliment each other. Gerrard had Alonso or Hamman alongside him. Scholes had Keane etc etc.
LFC’s midfield is excellent but it is ageing and in my opinion it is the priority area in the summer