Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has expressed his concern at the number of defensive injuries that his side has at the moment.
Centre-back Dejan Lovren was the latest to suffer a problem in midweek during the 2-0 victory over RB Salzburg in the UEFA Champions League.
He joins fellow defender Joel Matip on the sidelines and that leaves the Reds with just Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk as centre-back options for the clash with Watford.
Defensive midfielder Fabinho is also unavailable and Klopp admitted his concern. As quoted on the official club website, he said:
It’s a concern, how you can imagine. It’s not the first time we are in a situation like this; last year, one game Fabinho played at centre-half, unfortunately, he is out as well. It’s not too cool.
In the moment we have two – we should take care of them, pack them in cotton wool and ask them what they want to do in training.
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This is the worst time of the season to be short on defenders. The Reds have a punishing December schedule coming up, including a trip to Qatar for the Club World Cup and then the festive Premier League fixtures.
Klopp will need to dip into the academy side, with Ki-Jana Hoever likely to be included in the next couple of squads until Matip and Lovren return.
Signing a defender in the January transfer window should also be a priority for Klopp, especially with the Reds looking for Champions League and Premier League glory.
