Craig Burley says Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate have both become ‘inconsistent’ for Liverpool.
The former Scotland international feels that if a team like Newcastle United could swap their centre-back pairing for Liverpool’s duo, then they wouldn’t.
Eddie Howe’s main guy at the back is Sven Botman. He has made an outstanding start to life in the Premier League, including helping Newcastle to the Champions League in his first season.
In years gone by, Joel Matip has been a key player for Liverpool, but his form has dropped off, whilst Ibrahima Konate just can’t stay out of the treatment room.
Either way, Craig Burley feels that the centre-back duo are a problem at the back and they don’t help Virgil van Dijk’s cause, as he told ESPN.
The attack hasn’t been an issue for Liverpool this season, but with the defence still leaking the goals, then it’s obvious where the problems lie.
Konate and Matip at Newcastle United
“Konata and Matip, at times, particularly Matip, who has been there longer, have had some really good spells,” said Burley.
“But I think they are now both inconsistent in their decisions. If you look at van Dijk’s partner and you look at the other big challengers, I don’t think Konate or Matip get into any of those other teams at centre-back.
“Maybe you can take Tottenham out of the occasion with van de Ven and Romero. But if you look at Arsenal, you aren’t changing Matip and Konate for Gabriel or Saliba. You’re not changing at Man City.
“You look at Botman, who is out injured at Newcastle. Rock solid at centre-back.”
Liverpool’s title challenge
The forward line is there to rip up any team in the land, even with ten men, as Newcastle know full well.
But, over the long-term, the concern is the defence and whether the quality is there to mount a title challenge.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if certain sections of the Liverpool support doubt they can for that reason.
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