Liverpool have dropped points in consecutive league matches as their 25-game unbeaten run came to a dramatic end away at West Ham United on Sunday evening.
Jurgen Klopp 's side followed their recent 2-2 home draw against Brighton & Hove Albion with a dismal performance at the London Stadium in a display that highlighted a particularly glaring flaw in the current Reds line-up.
West Ham's midfield options significantly overpowered the likes of Thiago Alcantara and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as Hammers stars Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek proved too tough to handle.
Georginio Wijnaldum 's departure to Paris Saint-Germain was not met with an adequate replacement over the summer and as a result has left Liverpool lacking in one dynamic.
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Though the Reds still boast a wealth of options in the middle of the park, few boast a similar skillset to the Dutchman in terms of his relentless energy mixed with technical prowess.
Klopp's side have had to contend with not only Wijnaldum's departure - but a number of injuries to key central midfielders at different spells.
Naby Keita 's season has been blighted with injuries, as has the majority of his Liverpool career - while Harvey Elliot is expected to be unavailable for a significant period after his gruesome ankle injury suffered in mid-September.
Klopp was without arguably his most integral midfield option in Fabinho for the trip to memorable trip to Manchester United as the Brazilian recovered from a knee injury.
Thiago's time at Liverpool has mirrored Keita's from a fitness perspective as the Spaniard in particular has struggled to stay fit since he swapped Munich for Merseyside last summer.
The Anfield faithful are yet to see his true talent on a regular basis given his injury record.
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Given these factors were evident going into the summer transfer window, it has led many to question why Klopp opted against strengthening in the middle of the park.
Liverpool instead made just one signing in the summer in the form of RB Leipzig central defender Ibrahima Konate.
The Red parted ways with £36m to entice the defender to Anfield and ensure an injury crisis to their backline the likes of which they endured last season did not happen again.
However, they have at times this season been dangerously close to having one in their midfield.
Come the full-time whistle against Brighton ten days ago, Liverpool had just three fit central midfielders in Curtis Jones, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jordan Henderson.
That is undeniably not a sustainable way of mounting a serious title challenge and is likely to need addressing come the January transfer window.
