Liverpool’s defensive struggles are not serious enough to deny them the Premier League title, according to club legend Mark Lawrenson.
After 11 games, the Reds sit top of the table, but for all their attacking brilliance, they remain defensively frail, with just one clean sheet on the board.
Moreover, Loris Karius’ form has been far from convincing since his summer arrival from Mainz, sparking concerns that their title bid will be derailed if they continue to leak goals.
However, player-turned-pundit Lawrenson, who spent seven years at Anfield between 1981 and 1988, was keen to stress that Liverpool’s fellow contenders are also vulnerable at the back and is confident they will create enough chances to compensate for their defensive weaknesses.
“[Manchester] City aren’t great at the back,” he pointed out. “Arsenal look okay but I wouldn’t seriously worry about Liverpool defensively.
“They create so many chances in games so what if they concede a couple? They are going to win so many of their games playing this way it will just be immaterial.
“There are 19 teams in the league who would like to be where Liverpool are.”
Lawrenson anticipates a three-horse race involving Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal, and believes his former club will benefit from their absence from European competitions.
“For me I think it is between them, City and Arsenal – who are both in Europe – so it is all in Liverpool’s favour,” he explained. “Enjoy it while it lasts – that’s the way Klopp is.”
Up next for Jurgen Klopp’s men is a trip to St Mary’s on Saturday to face Southampton, where they will look to consolidate top spot.
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