Jamie Carragher launched an impassionate plea at Liverpool's owners to sign new midfielders after the Reds' 3-1 defeat to Brentford.
The former Liverpool defender was speaking on Sky Sports after an own goal from Ibrahima Konate, followed by strikes from Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo ended Jurgen Klopp's side run of four consecutive wins in the Premier League and made their New Year's resolution of qualifying for the Champions League an even harder task than initially feared. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had halved the deficit with a fine header early in the second half.
Captain Jordan Henderson was left out of the Reds' squad that took to west London for their first game of 2023 due to concussion, leaving Fabinho to anchor both Harvey Elliott and Thiago Alcantara in midfield. The soon-to-be out-of-contract Naby Keita replaced Elliott with the Reds trailing 2-0 at the break.
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But as well as the Guinean, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are also into the last six months of their deals at Anfield and are now free to sign pre-contract agreements with overseas clubs.
Thiago, Henderson and Fabinho - which is largely perceived as Klopp's strongest midfield trio - are 31, 32 and 29 respectively, which Carragher believes Liverpool must act upon in the upcoming windows or risk being left behind.
Here's every word he said on Liverpool's midfield after the defeat.
Carragher: " When you look at the age profile of a lot of the players within the squad, they’ve got a lot of players in their 30s or coming into their 30s who’ve been great for the club, but that is one of the reasons why the ownership is up for sale, or they’re looking for investment because Liverpool are going to need to go big in the summer.
"You look at what Chelsea and Man United spent in the summer, and they’re still not close to winning the title, so it shows you the kind of funds that you need to compete at the top of the league.
"Liverpool year in, year out have sort of sold someone, bought someone, but I think this is a case of now Liverpool need to spend about £200 million.
"I’m not saying that in terms of that’s the secret to success - there are lots of teams who have shown that doesn’t necessarily work - but Liverpool need to sign maybe three midfield players, I would say. Not necessarily all to play, but Keïta, Oxlade-Chamberlain, and even James Milner, they’re all out of contract.
"The age of Thiago who is injured quite a lot, Henderson and Fabinho, I think Liverpool need three midfield players and when you’re talking about real quality you need at least £40-50 million on those types of players, I would imagine.
"People keep talking about Jude Bellingham and rightly so, he's going to be one of the best young players in world football, but if Liverpool don't get top four that'll be a problem. But for me, as important as a Bellingham-type, would be a Wijnaldum-type. Someone who, alongside a Fabinho, can actually protect the back four and stop players running through to the defence.
"We talk about Van Dijk as one of the best centre backs in the world, and this season we’re saying he’s not at his best - he wasn’t at his best today - but do you know what it tells me? I don’t think he’s a completely different player, no matter how good you are as a defender, if you haven’t got protection in front of you, it’s very difficult. I go back to the best centre-back I think I’ve ever seen in my life - Franco Baresi - but he had an unbelievable midfield in front of him in terms of Ancelotti, Rijkaard, those people doing jobs in front. No matter how good you are as a centre-back, you need protection, if you don’t have that you’ve got no chance.
"No matter how good you are as a centre-back, you need protection."
Speaking about Liverpool's hopes of securing Champions League qualification, Gary Neville and Micah Richards added their thoughts.
Neville: "There’s a long way to go so I wouldn’t be panicking just yet. Liverpool have set a standard that (just getting top four) is not good enough, but I still think there’s a chance."
Richards: "I wouldn’t be panicking, I agree with Gary, but I think momentum is massive in football. Man United look like they’ve turned a corner, Newcastle have been great, Man City are going to be there or thereabouts as we know, and Arsenal look like they’re going for the league, so I think it’s going to be difficult.
"We’re not even at the halfway point though, so let’s not get too excited, but something needs to change, and it needs to change quickly if Liverpool want to get into that top four."
JC: "We say that every year, Arsenal never got in the top four and then they look like they’ve got a great chance of winning the league this season. Yes, it would be a blow not the be in it, because Liverpool whenever they’re in the Champions League it looks like they have a great chance of winning it.
"We always talk about getting into the Champions League, but Liverpool normally do well when they’re in there, so that will be a bigger blow for me. The only problem that Liverpool have got and Micah has just mentioned is that a lot of the other teams are more stable than Liverpool right now - Manchester United and Newcastle."
GN: "They are the two biggest things for Liverpool right now, keeping Jurgen Klopp and getting new owners, the right new owners."
JC: "They don’t need new owners. Just before we sign off, they’ve won absolutely everything you can win by being smart..."
GN cuts in: "... but they’re selling the club? They’re selling the club?"
JC cuts in: - "Liverpool have had owners, they’ve won absolutely everything, they’ve been clever in the transfer market - not just blowing money like your club, absolute nonsense."
GN: " What are you going on about? They’re selling the club?"
JC: " They don’t need new owners."
GN: " I said they need the right new owners."
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