Liverpool have had defensive problems all season. Fitness, shape, and bad luck all played a role. And right now, options across the backline are horribly thin.
Conor Bradley is the latest addition to the injured list after sustaining a season-ending knee ligament injury in last week’s game against Arsenal. He has started just 12 games in the Premier League and will not feature again for Liverpool until the 2026/27 season.
Summer signing Giovanni Leoni was lost to injury before the season got underway, and Joe Gomez has been in and out of the treatment room for much of the year. Jeremy Frimpong, who was traded to become more of a defenseman than a defender, has also missed spells.
All of this poses a headache for Arne Slott, especially in the right-back position. Bradley is being groomed as a natural successor to Trent Alexander-Arnold, a player with less natural flair but better defensive instincts who has already proven himself against the best players in big games.
Conor Bradley is out for the season after sustaining a knee injury against Arsenal
There were some GIF-worthy moments. His perfectly timed tackle to dislodge Kylian Mbappe in the flow and his subsequent pocketing of Vinicius Junior against Real Madrid both showed he was ready. It feels like especially cruel timing for his season to end this way.
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Highlights of the Premier League match between Arsenal and Liverpool
And for Liverpool, not having the cover they needed was another big blow. Bradley is considered essential to the smooth running of future slot operations, and with so many matches scheduled (12 scheduled between now and the end of February), the need for a quick solution is clear.
What options are currently being considered?
Trust Gomez at right-back
Considering Gomez’s patchy injury history, backing him up at three different positions feels like a big gamble. Gomez is the only legitimate cover for both Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, and is also a stand-in right-back in the event that one of them is unavailable.
The 28-year-old has many attributes, but availability isn’t one of them. Since the start of this season, Gomez has completed 90 minutes just three times. He has made nine Premier League starts in the past 18 months, totaling 767 minutes. Mr. Reliability is not.
What Gomez offers is one-on-one solidity and tremendous versatility. When fit, he displays impressive athleticism and has the ability to cover roles across the backline and contribute up front.
It’s a small sample size, but despite Gomez starting at right-back in the Premier League this season and averaging more touches in the opposition box than any other option, Liverpool are yet to concede a goal.
But confidence in Gomez is similarly hampered by his absence. Slot knows his limits very well. So if it’s only a partial solution, what other fixes are worth considering?
Frimpong plays a dual role.
The problem with playing Frimpong as a full-back is that he is not a full-back. That was not his domain at Bayer Leverkusen. Hamstring issues aside, the 25-year-old doesn’t have the defensive mindset needed to play in a back four. Konate’s turbulent season has not solved his weaknesses on the right flank.
Every week, Frimpong in this position involves experimental risks depending on the level of the opponent. “I liked him again today,” Slott said after Monday’s win over League One side Barnsley. It’s a contrast to the start of Liverpool’s frightening slump in September, when Slott accused Frimpong of being “too aggressive” in the defeat to Crystal Palace.
There is no doubt that the story will continue to change. Frimpong is a player designed to move forward, not backward. Liverpool unlock his game more effectively when he plays and Slot likes his “pure individual ability” and raw pace. All attack attributes.
The manager’s closing words after the win over Barnsley will serve as guidelines for Frimpong as a full-back in the future. “We have to manage it the right way.” It becomes even more obvious when Mohamed Salah returns from AFCON and demands the luxury of not doing any defensive work.
Rotate between full-backs
Slott has had to utilize midfielders as emergency cover this season, with varying degrees of success.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones were both victims. However, what Slot is gaining by using a central midfielder at full-back is not commensurate with what he is taking away. This is a stopgap measure and far from a long-term solution. Opponents knew this and began targeting the wide spaces that midfielders playing out of position inevitably provided.
Not every week is a new journey of discovery. Liverpool’s recent 11-match unbeaten run in all competitions stretches back to November, with Slott opting to start Gomez four times, Bradley five times and Frimpong twice (against bottom club Wolves and Barnsley). However, the midfielder is nowhere to be seen.
The glossy approach has certainly come to a natural end.
Sign Guehi – or someone else?
And the final option is to sign with someone.
Liverpool’s stance is to react with caution if a top target is acquired. Many clubs use the deliberately vague term “market opportunity” when asked if there is any chance of doing business in January, as trading during this period is notoriously difficult.
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Sky Sports’ Kabe Solhekol and Mark McAdam discuss which clubs are in the race to sign Marc Gehi and whether he is likely to move on this transfer window.
This gives fans the illusion that they’re open to spending, even if it’s not the certainty they want. It’s a polite way to keep the powder dry.
Liverpool believe they can use Crystal Palace’s Marc Guech as a right-back in a backline that could become a back three if they move forward, but they would only be pressed for his signature if other players step up their pursuit. He will be a free agent in June, but the current situation will probably require a more aggressive approach.
High full-backs have always been a feature of Liverpool’s style, which is why they signed Milos Kerkes in the summer. However, despite significant investments, finding an acceptable balance of risk and reward has proven difficult.
Liverpool’s board is unlikely to react immediately to this season’s setbacks, but they will need to consider what they want from this season. If trophies remain an ambition, there may not be much choice.
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