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Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has urged manager Jurgen Klopp to sign a right-back, stating that the club “can’t continue” with current occupant Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Speaking after Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid, pundit Carragher says the situation is “very, very worrying” for both the player and the club.
Alexander-Arnold has been used to being labelled as one of the best full-backs in world football in recent years, but the 24-year-old has not been without his critics.
Liverpool ‘can’t continue’ with Alexander-Arnold
While his attacking qualities are clear, many have questioned his defensive abilities, with Alexander-Arnold seemingly missing out on a place in recent England squads for that exact reason.
And Carragher, who made over 700 Liverpool appearances, believes signing another right-back to either compete with or indeed replace Alexander-Arnold is the only option Klopp has for future success.
“It’s very, very worrying – not just for Liverpool as a team; for him,” said Carragher, as per LiveScore. “That can’t continue, what’s happened this season with him and the amount of times he’s been lacking defensively. The problem they’ve got in that position is they’ve never had real competition for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
“One of the reasons why is because he’s been so good. You think: who do you buy? How much do you spend for someone who’s not really going to play every week?
“But I think Liverpool are at the point now where they’ve got to go and buy a right-back. That’s Jurgen Klopp’s decision in terms of how good that right-back is, how much he costs, but that lad needs serious competition. He’s been playing now for five years at the top level, week in, week out, with no rest.”
Carragher can no longer defend Liverpool man
Carragher continued by stating that he has always been full of support for the Liverpool defender, but that situation has changed somewhat as the club’s fortunes have changed.
The Reds have continuously been one of the best teams in European football, but their status has shifted slightly amid a disappointing league campaign and a thrashing by Real Madrid in Europe.
Liverpool do have youngster Calvin Ramsay among their ranks, but the teenager has been struggling with injury ever since moving to Merseyside from Aberdeen.
His problems, coupled with the fact that James Milner and Joe Gomez are not natural right-backs, has left Alexander-Arnold as the only natural right-back in the squad.
“I’ve always defended him in that he’s played for one of the best teams in the world, and when you play for one of the best teams in the world, as Liverpool are, you do a lot more attacking than you do defending,” added Carragher.
“We all know his defending is not good enough, and I don’t think it will ever be good enough. We’re talking about a player who’s played 260 games; it’s not going to massively improve now.
“So, when Liverpool drop off and aren’t one of the best teams in Europe, like they have been for the last four years, now they’re one of the pack going for the Champions League, then you’re doing more defending, less attacking.”
We exit the Champions League. pic.twitter.com/wdeQogL9bi
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 15, 2023
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