BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Jurgen Klopp, LiverpoolGetty

Liverpool can forget the title until they start keeping clean sheets says Collymore

Liverpool will struggle to compete for the Premier League title unless they can start to keep clean sheets according to former striker Stan Collymore.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are second to only Manchester City when it comes to goals scored this season but have let in 32 league goals – more than any other team in the top five.

Liverpool are embroiled in a battle for the Champions League placings alongside Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur ahead of this weekend’s home fixture against Newcastle United.

Article continues below

“They’ve got [Mo] Salah, [Sadio] Mane, [Adam] Lallana and [Roberto] Firmino so they’re always going to score goals and are incredibly entertaining to watch but they concede too many,” Collymore said.

“The one thing Jurgen Klopp has never proven is that he can put out a team to defend and get clean sheets on the spin. Which, for all Manchester City’s attacking intent this season, they have been able to do that as well.

“I just wish that they could have the back of the team and the goalkeeping part of the team as good as the front. Then they would be a title threat. But not until they get that right.

“I think that until he addresses the defensive weaknesses in the way he puts teams out I think it would be right to question somebody that’s on whatever he’s on - plus a six-year contract. That just comes with the territory of being manager of Liverpool.”

The Reds signed Virgil van Dijk to address their defensive woes in January and have the arrival of RB Leipzig dynamo Naby Keita to look forward to in summer and Collymore believes even more money needs to be spent in order to strengthen the backline.

“They’ve got a lot of money in from Coutinho,” he said. “I think he’s bought exceptionally well with the two frontmen, Mane and Salah, that have come in. They have been absolutely outstanding. But there are questions about Matip, questions about both goalkeepers.

Stan Collymore

“They haven’t got the kind of resources Manchester City have got or even Manchester United. But if you can buy eight or nine out-of-10 players in the front part of the team, why can’t you do that in the back part of the team?”

Stan Collymore was speaking with online betting site BetStars. #Callit at BetStars
Advertisement