Liverpool have conceded the most goals of the top seven teams in the Premier League so far this season, and the second most in the top thirteen.
The Reds have seen the ball hit the back of their net 16 times so far this season. To put this into perspective, Manchester United have conceded just four times, Manchester City six times and Tottenham Hotspur only seven times; and those teams make up the top three in the Premier League.
Watford are the only team in the top thirteen in the league to have conceded more than Liverpool (18), whilst even 19th-placed Bournemouth have conceded less goals (14) than Jurgen Klopp’s men.
It means that after 10 games, Liverpool have conceded 6.4% of all the goals scored in the league so far this season.
The club could certainly improve their defensive record by bringing in a new centre-back in January. We’ve selected five in-form central defenders, one from each of Europe’s top five leagues (Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1).
Here they are…
Premier League: James Tarkowski (Burnley)
The Burnley man has been one of the league’s best performers in any position so far this season. Strong in the air and a good reader of the game, he’d slot right in at Anfield.
Bundesliga: Salif Sane (Hannover 96)
The Senegal international has been Man of the Match (as per WhoScored) in five of his last eight games.
A good passer of the ball as well as a robust defender, he’d suit Klopp’s high-pressing side.
La Liga: Dimitrios Siovas (Leganes)
Only Barcelona have conceded less goals (3) than Leganes (5) in La Liga this season and Siovas is a key piece of the puzzle in the latter’s defence.
A good dribbler of the ball, he again offers something different to Tarkowski and Sane, and is someone you perhaps wouldn’t consider as an option.
Serie A: Bastos (Lazio)
The Lazio defender is not only a great ball-winner and presence at the back, but he likes to have the ball at his feet and is a huge threat from set-pieces; he has scored three times in seven games for his club so far this season
Ligue 1: Damien Da Silva (Caen)
A real battling defender, Damien loves a tackle and is absolutely vital to Caen’s tight defence; they’ve conceded just eight times this season.
He’s 29, so certainly coming into his peak years, but would be a real steal at his (approximate) £3 million valuation from Transfermarkt.
