Liverpool’s miserable season continued apace on Sunday as they were comprehensively beaten by Manchester City.
Reds fans have become accustomed to seeing their team in disarray over recent times, and they conceded three more goals at the Etihad Stadium.
Liverpool have now let the opposition score 17 times against them in the Premier League this season, 11 more than at the same stage last term.
Clearly, there is an issue with Arne Slot‘s defence. Sunday represented the seventh time Liverpool have conceded two or more goals in just 11 Premier League matches.
For many supporters, much of the blame for this lies at the feet of Ibrahima Konate. The Frenchman has struggled for form since August, but after Liverpool failed to sign Marc Guehi on transfer deadline day, Slot has had little choice but to keep picking him.
Guehi continues to be linked with a move to Anfield, with some keen to push the narrative that the Crystal Palace captain would instantly solve Liverpool’s problems. However, while Guehi would be a welcome addition, the bigger issue lies elsewhere for Slot.
Liverpool must sort their full-backs out
It is clear that Konate has been out of form this season, leaving Liverpool exposed in defence.
The 26-year-old has not looked completely himself, leading to suggestions that his head is already away from Anfield. With his contract expiring next summer, the rest of his body could soon follow.
READ MORE: Three things we learnt from Liverpool vs Man City as Reds’ abysmal away form continues
With only Joe Gomez in reserve, Slot has had little choice but to keep playing Konate. But even when the centre-back has played well, Liverpool have still conceded goals.
The reasons for this are multiple, and can even be tracked to the Reds midfield, who are often far too open and easy to play through.
But in the opinion of Rousing The Kop, Slot’s biggest problem lies with his full-backs. The Liverpool head coach is suffering after changing both left and right-backs this summer.
Milos Kerkez has been a disaster on the left, and while Andy Robertson has been better after winning his place back recently, he has also shown why Liverpool were so keen to replace him.
Robertson failed to close Matheus Nunes down for Man City’s opener on Sunday, and while the decision to rule out Virgil van Dijk’s first half header was ludicrous, the Scotsman should never have been caught offside to begin with.
The chopping and changing between Kerkez and Robertson has led to uncertainty, while a similar scenario has also played out on the opposite flank.
Injury to Jeremie Frimpong has allowed Conor Bradley to cement himself, and although the 22-year-old has largely done well, he is still young and is prone to rashness and inconsistency.
Liverpool knew they could count on Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold at full-back for years, with real stability formed in the back line as a result. Now that has been taken away, the Reds no longer have a solid and complete unit. And it shows.
What is the solution for Liverpool?
It is obvious that when one player is not functioning properly, bringing someone else in to do the job can help. As a result, Liverpool would surely be better simply by swapping Konate for Guehi right now.
However, the deeper issue of having a lack of consistency in the back four will still remain, and while it does, Liverpool’s defensive problems are going nowhere.
Kerkez’s form is playing a huge part in this, and once the Hungarian settles down, he is likely to become Slot’s main man at left-back. If his performances improve, that will help massively.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 6 |  Aston VillaAston Villa | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 18 |
| 7 |  Manchester UnitedManchester United | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 18 |
| 8 |  LiverpoolLiverpool | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 18 | 17 | 1 | 18 |
| 9 |  BournemouthBournemouth | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 18 | -1 | 18 |
But if Kerkez continues to struggle, then Liverpool have a decision to make. Robertson is out of contract next summer and the door could yet swing open for the Reds to find a new long-term left-back.
On the right, there are signs that Bradley can be the answer, but he is still throwing in one bad performance after two good displays. When Frimpong returns, there is no guarantee the Northern Irishman keeps the shirt.
For years Liverpool fans knew exactly who would be playing at full-back for them on any given week. Until Slot gets to that point with his team, they will continue to concede goals, Guehi or no.
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