Jamie Carragher highlights ‘really interesting’ defensive set-up at Liverpool which may be costing them

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Liverpool have struggled with conceding goals this season, especially away from home.

Arne Slot’s side lost 2-1 to Chelsea in their second consecutive loss in the Premier League this season, which has now meant that they find themselves behind Arsenal in the title race.

It has not been an easy week for Liverpool, given they also faced defeat in the Galatasaray game and lost goalkeeper Alisson Becker to injury for the next few weeks.

Fortunately, in one way, for the team, they now have an international break, which does mean they have two weeks to take stock of what needs to be done to fix the issues in the team.

However, as has been highlighted by Jamie Carragher and others, the defensive shortfalls of this group are one of the main problems which has caused their losses this season.

Jamie Carragher says Liverpool leave a spare man too often

There have been many poor individual performances in that area, with Ibrahima Konate and Milos Kerkez the two main culprits, but also the lack of a first-choice right-back has become a problem.

It is frustrating for fans who were impressed by their side’s style of play last season, and the fact that they were defensively sound across those matches to keep out the most threatening attacks.

There has been, though, a change in approach from Slot, and that is something which Carragher has pointed to as an issue with many of the games this season, even when Liverpool have been victorious.

READ MORE: Chris Sutton highlights key ‘vulnerability’ Liverpool have compared to Arsenal in title race

The former defender was frank in his assessment of why Enzo Maresca’s side were able to exploit the weaknesses of the Merseyside team and win the game.

During his Extra Time show, Carragher explained: “I think it’s really interesting how Liverpool sort of set up and defend really. And when you look at Liverpool and don’t forget what we said against Crystal Palace, Liverpool always like the extra man on the back line in terms of their center back. So it’s man for man almost all over the pitch.

“Now, if you actually look at Liverpool’s two center backs, it’s 2v1. So, they’ve got a spare man, but that means Chelsea have got a spare man somewhere else. And that man is the goal scorer here in oceans of space, Caicedo, who was absolutely fantastic in the game. But this is the knock-on effect.

“If Liverpool always want to have a spare man at the back, someone is spared somewhere else. And the teams now and especially Maresca at Chelsea has found this spare man in three times against Liverpool and caused them real problems and the goal is fantastic. But it comes from that.

“It’s a tough place to go, Chelsea. But with the team Chelsea had out, that’s again a game Liverpool should have won, especially going at 1-1.”

Liverpool cannot afford another defeat in a row

Even forgetting that Liverpool are in a race to defend their title, their confidence could take another big hit if they were to lose their next game.

Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United side come to Anfield with a win under their belt and, despite them being so poor this season, will come to their rivals with confidence.

On paper, it may seem an easy game for the Reds, but truly, the United game could be a banana skin game if they are not in form.

It is the whole balance of the team that is off; however, there needs to be extra focus on the defensive areas for the squad to be a success.