Liverpool’s shocking decline in recent weeks is stark, surprising and laid bare for all to see.
Their misery was compounded in stunning fashion at Old Trafford on Sunday evening – with a late free-kick from Bruno Fernandes seeing arch rivals Manchester United edge through in the FA Cup at their expense.
Jurgen Klopp cut a frustrated and troubled figure after the final whistle, having trudged across the turf with a balled up fist before heading down the tunnel to address the mounting list of problems now lying at his feet.
Jordan Henderson has been missed by Liverpool during the shocking recent decline
The problems are stacking up for Jurgen Klopp and the boss must address his defensive issues
Chief among those is his team’s horrific record without captain Jordan Henderson.
With the boisterous and calm presence of the 30-year-old in midfield, Liverpool haven’t suffered a defeat in the league this season. In his absence with a groin problem, however, the tale reads very differently.
Henderson is back training ahead of tonight’s Premier League clash at Tottenham, after missing defeats by Burnley and United, but Klopp could not say for certain he would line up against Jose Mourinho’s men. If he fails to make it, the Reds’ hopes of halting a three-match winless run in all competitions (they’ve won just once in seven) become a lot slimmer.
Henderson initially arrived from Sunderland in 2011 to a muted reception. Within two seasons, the England international cemented his spot as a first-team regular.
Henderson has been forced to fill in at centre back this year but is a key performer in midfield
After Steven Gerrard’s departure in 2015, he was entrusted with the captain’s armband and hasn’t looked back. His leadership abilities speak for themselves, both on and off the field.
His booming voice can often be heard echoing around the empty stadiums currently hosting Premier League action, with his regular bellow of ‘good’ greeting tackles and interceptions from his team-mates.
Liverpool are perhaps the hardest-working team in the top flight and Henderson stands at the fulcrum of it all, conducting his peers and keeping a close eye out as the chaos unfolds around him.
His strong passing range, willingness to leap into challenges and unbridled passion, known to spill over in a haze of red, have helped Henderson flourish into the perfect servant for the Anfield giants.
The current Liverpool skipper Henderson was given the armband after Steven Gerrard’s exit
Henderson is often vocal in the centre of the field and is a calming presence for team-mates
Therefore, it is no surprise that he is missed so badly. There was a gaping hole in the middle of Liverpool’s team against United – and Paul Pogba was able to take control of the derby in the centre of the park.
It is difficult to imagine Henderson allowing that to happen had he been fit.
But the glut of injuries in the centre of defence have forced him to stand in on a handful of occasions this season, somewhat diminishing his effectiveness.
With boss Klopp rocked by key absentees, Henderson played at centre-back for the 1-0 loss at Southampton and the goalless draw with Manchester United.
Liverpool are yet to suffer defeat this season when Henderson has started in his favoured role
Both performances were characterised by uninspired displays across the field, and it was only the heroics of keeper Alisson that prevented United from taking all three points.
Henderson has since also missed out on the home loss against Burnley, a setback which ended the long-standing unbeaten record at Anfield, and the cup knockout in a gloomy Manchester through injury.
The statistics simply don’t lie – Liverpool are a much better team with their skipper fully fit and firing in his usual position.
In league action, Henderson has made 12 starts altogether. Eight of those have resulted in victories, with four draws.
The midfielder’s injury setback has culminated in defeats to Burnley and Manchester United
Henderson had been named on the bench for the champions’ shock 7-2 defeat by Aston Villa
He was named among the substitutes for the sobering demolition at the hands of Aston Villa, a jaw-dropping result which blew the champions’ defence of their crown wide open.
It would be quite some stretch to suggest Henderson would single-handedly have spared the team from humiliation, but Klopp’s trusted lieutenant would surely have had his say in trying to stop the slide.
When he does return to fitness, Henderson cannot be thrust backwards again to fill the breach in defence. He must be allowed to operate in his favoured role and help spearhead Liverpool to an improved fun of form.
So, what does Klopp do to solve his issues in defence? Rather than having to rely on stop-gap options, the tactician must be allowed to bring in a suitable replacement for his missing first-choice names.
Klopp should be entrusted with sourcing a new defender this month to help fix his headache
The exuberant coach may still retain his calm exterior but his brain will surely be racked with worry over his unwanted selection headache.
Fabinho, who has superbly helped take the burden off of the club’s starlets, is beginning to show signs of defensive struggles.
His usual partner, with Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez on the treatment table, is Joel Matip – a good performer, albeit one who has also seen his number of minutes carefully nursed.
The duo have formed a fairly solid partnership against all the odds, but a club the size of Liverpool’s will surely have their sights trained higher.
Virgil van Dijk has been sorely missed and starlet Rhys Williams needs more time to develop
Rhys Williams’ inexperience has been exposed, although the youngster promises to be a solid addition to the first-team set up on Merseyside given time to develop.
It is difficult not to feel sorry for the 19-year-old talent, who was given the unenviable task of having to attempt to shackle the likes of Edinson Cavani, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood on Sunday.
The nightmare in the middle of defence has also taken a notable toll on the flying full-backs.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson spectacularly burst into the spotlight during Liverpool’s title-winning season – and have proven themselves time and time again as two of world football’s finest performers out wide.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson have both endured mixed campaigns so far
However, even their influence is waning this time around. Both players have made their trade with lung-bursting dashes down both flanks and an ability to tee up team-mates on countless occasions with devilish deliveries into the box.
Klopp typically affords them both the freedom to adopt a starting position high up the field, and it was this overload that resulted in Liverpool’s first goal against United in the FA Cup.
It is a move seen time and time again from the club, and only this term have teams been able to get a better handle on it.
When Liverpool rarely gifted the ball back to their opponents with a first-choice pairing at centre-back, they were able to deal with the threat on the counter-attack in a calm and measured fashion.
Klopp will rightly be concerned that his team are failing to replicate last year’s blistering form
Van Dijk’s unparalleled influence, coupled with Gomez’s impressive pace on the turn, meant Liverpool garnered a reputation for stealing back possession quickly and hurting whatever lay in front of them with blistering pace.
In another worrying signal of the disarray Klopp is tasked with tackling, none of these familiar patterns are visible anymore.
Alexander-Arnold and Robertson have both been restrained.
There is an evident distrust over the rotating selection between them, and the mechanisms in place to protect them on the breakaway are no longer there.
Liverpool’s balance has been thrown all out of shape and Henderson must be recalled when fit
It is hard to believe all of the problems stacking up in Klopp’s in-tray, now certain to be bursting at the seams, originate from one issue – but football can be surprisingly simple at times.
The absence of one player, especially an important one, is enough for any team’s balance to be thrown spectacularly out of place.
In Liverpool’s case, Van Dijk and Gomez’s setbacks have wreaked havoc – with the instability caused by Henderson’s absence, and cameos in defence, doing nothing to help solve the problem.
The long-term fix remains a foray into the transfer market this month. Without one, the club may find themselves slipping further behind in the quest for the summit.