'They need a specialist' - Steven Gerrard identifies Liverpool’s 'sorely missed' position and urges Andoni Iraola to strengthen

Liverpool icon has issued a stern warning to the Anfield hierarchy, claiming the squad remains fundamentally unbalanced without a natural defensive midfielder. The legendary former captain, who has recently seen his role with TNT Sports expanded to become a regular punditry fixture, believes the failure to replace Fabinho has left a void that could derail Andoni Iraola's first season in charge.

Speaking ahead of Liverpool's Premier League meeting with Nottingham Forest, Gerrard made his feelings clear regarding the current state of the engine room. "There's one area that hasn't really had much focus, only really in the last week since the Newcastle game. I believe they need a specialist in the No. 6 position, that's my opinion," Gerrard said.

The urgency in Gerrard's plea stems from Liverpool's recent 2-2 draw against Newcastle United at St James' Park. Despite salvaging a point late on, the Reds were frequently sliced open on the counter-attack, appearing fragile whenever possession was lost in the middle third.

Gerrard expanded on how a new signing would benefit the existing personnel, stating: "I think that position's been sorely missed, I don't think they've got a specialist in that position. That can allow your [Dominik] Szoboszlai's and your [Ryan] Gravenberch's and your [Alexis] Mac Allister's to go and join attacks, to make the back four secure. I think they miss that position badly."

The pressure on Iraola is significant given the massive financial outlay sanctioned under his predecessor, Arne Slot. Last summer, the club committed roughly £250m to a squad overhaul, bringing in high-profile names such as Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong, along with youngster Giovanni Leoni.

However, that record spending failed to produce a successful Premier League title defence, leading to Slot’s exit. Now, Iraola must find a way to make the pieces fit while navigating a squad that has seen veterans like Ibrahima Konate, Mohamed Salah, and Andrew Robertson depart on free transfers.

Despite his concerns regarding the midfield, Gerrard offered a more optimistic assessment of Liverpool's options in the heart of the defence. With several new faces arriving to replace the outgoing senior stars, the depth at centre-back appears to be one of the few areas where the squad has improved in terms of sheer numbers.

Addressing the defensive situation, Gerrard continued: "I think in terms of numbers now, they're better than they were last year. Konate has moved on, we wish him luck, he's done a great job. We've now got four or five centre-backs, so volume, I think they're secure. I think the key is: is Jacquet going to be good enough?"