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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
John Aldridge

Liverpool need dressing room change after Manchester United defeat and FSG can spark it

With only eight days left in the transfer window, Liverpool have so far avoided dipping into the transfer market for any midfield reinforcements.

It’s hard to get a player out and get a player in, I know that, but out of the midfielders we’ve got, only Fabinho and James Milner are always available. Jordan Henderson to a degree and young Harvey Elliott has also started to come in.

All the others are quite injury prone and that’s unfortunately young Curtis Jones as well. In terms of numbers we’re alright, but in quality we may be a little bit thin on the ground. Naby Keita is always injured and can't seem to string three or four games together, you can never depend on him.

READ MORE: What's going wrong at Liverpool and how Jurgen Klopp and FSG can fix it

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In an ideal world, the fans may want to see Keita go before the transfer deadline. Then Liverpool can get someone, like a Gini Wijnaldum, who they can depend on. I know he's injured at Roma now, but he was always available for Jurgen Klopp.

If that’s the case and that’s what the manager wants then FSG have to back him. It’s as simple as that.

People talk about Jude Bellingham but it’s so tough to bring players in and get players out now. But in an ideal world, that's what Liverpool supporters I know want to see, but it’s tough for the manager to do.

Nunez' suspension doesn't help, but Liverpool have enough quality to get results

Aside from the injuries, Liverpool will absolutely be ruing the red card Darwin Nunez received against Crystal Palace. If he played on Monday night against United, we’d have had more of a goal threat and if he gets the chances, he scores a goal or two. Without him, Roberto Firmino was coming deeper and deeper, he was alongside the back four on a couple of occasions and you’re never going to score goals in that position. You’re then relying too much on Mohamed Salah and there’s too much pressure on him.

What Nunez did, I know the defender did him no favours and we’ve spoken about it before, but it’s hurting us now. It’s stinging us and he knows it. The players know, the club know and the fans know it. But he’ll come back and make up for it, I’m sure of it. There's probably more pressure on him when he comes back now, but he owes everybody for letting himself down and letting the fans down.

But, Liverpool have to react now. There needs to be a reaction and Jurgen will demand one from the players. Not just to fight until the 90th minute, but to actually play well and try and get some confidence back.

They will be lacking a little bit of confidence after recent results, of course, but these are top players. They may be down to about 60% capacity with so many out injured - but they’re still good enough to beat Bournemouth, and to beat Newcastle.

They’ve got to go on a run now, three or four games on the bounce, of clean sheets and wins. Then, all of a sudden, you’re back on track.

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