Liverpool told they’ve got two players who desperately need replacing now

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Liverpool have been urged to replace both Joel Matip and Joe Gomez before the new season starts.

The two centre-backs had disappointing seasons last time out. Poor performances coupled with the brilliance of Ibrahima Konate mean that the pair are now comfortably third and fourth choice centre-backs for Jurgen Klopp.

And speaking on ESPN FC yesterday, former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol has claimed that Klopp should still be looking to upgrade both Matip and Gomez this summer.

“On paper it seems Liverpool have talent, they’ve got it sorted,” Nicol began. “The question of whether they needed strengthening in the midfield has been taken care of. They’ve got five forwards for three positions, that looks in good shape. My worry is what happens defensively. Liverpool lost just under 50 goals in the Premier League last year, 50! You have to address that.

“Matip for me doesn’t do it anymore, Joe Gomez doesn’t do it anymore either. The two centre-backs, Konate and Van Dijk, need somebody to be pushing them and kicking them up the backside. But they also need to get back to basics as far as Klopp coaching the backline, because you cannot win anything when you’re losing nearly 50 goals a season.

“So, that would be my worry. The backline is the one thing I look at and I wonder what we’re going to ge

Liverpool urged to make centre-back upgrade

This is absolutely on the money from Nicol. With their midfield issues now being sorted out, Liverpool need to start addressing what’s going on in their defence.

The record the pundit mentions is plainly not good enough. When you consider the fact that Alisson Becker was phenomenal last season as well, it becomes even more worrisome.

Of course, that isn’t all down to Gomez and Matip. Between them they only started 27 Premier League games last season. The problem goes much deeper than their respective drop-offs.

But their declines are a problem nonetheless. If Liverpool lose Konate or Van Dijk to injury for a period, can we really trust Matip or Gomez to step in successfully?

In the past that hasn’t really even been a question. Both have been first-choice next to Van Dijk for long periods and both have had truly memorable spells of real quality in the team.

Unfortunately though, neither now look good enough for where Liverpool need to be.

Thankfully, the Reds do seem to be taking Nicol’s advice. Reports suggest Klopp will indeed try to bring in a new centre-back this summer. Whether that’s in place of Gomez/Matip or as well as them remains to be seen. What is clear is that action needs to be taken. Until it definitively is, worry will remain.