Premier League champions Liverpool have had a decent start to their title defence, but things could get harder in the coming months as the fixtures will continue to come thick and fast after the international break.
Several of Liverpool’s key players have suffered injuries this season, and even though the club’s resources have been stretched, they have done reasonably well.
The defence remains an issue for manager Jürgen Klopp as Virgil van Dijk is not expected to return until later in the season (if he does recover from his surgery), and the likes of Fabinho and Trent Alexander-Arnold will miss a few weeks after suffering from muscle injuries.
Joel Matip is back, but the Cameroonian does not have a good injury record and it remains to be seen how many games he can play at a stretch. As per Paul Joyce, Joe Gomez too has picked up an injury and it remains to be seen how long he will be out for.
Liverpool defender Joe Gomez suffered an injury during training with England today. Gareth Southgate is likely to provide an update this evening at a press conference ahead of the Republic of Ireland game.
— paul joyce (@_pauljoyce) November 11, 2020
With such a drab situation regarding injuries, there has been some talk of Liverpool potentially going after Bayern Munich’s David Alaba, whose contract is up at the end of the season.
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has backed the club to sign Alaba in the winter, and claims that the Austrian would be the ideal short-term option for the club.
“He [David Alaba] is a phenomenal player. Of course, Liverpool would want him. I think the top six English clubs would want him if he was available, but it’s what you do once you’ve got him.
“These short-term fixes have long-term consequences because you end up pushing someone further down the line. You aren’t going to sign him for two minutes, you are going to sign him long-term and it’s whether it fits into the Liverpool plan,” Murphy was quoted as saying by Goal.
‘Phenomenal’ David Alaba would be more than a long-term option
It’s a bit weird that a player like Alaba, who is perhaps the most athletic centre-back in Europe right now and can match anyone for pace and physicality, is being seen as a short-term option after just helping Bayern Munich to a historic treble. Or maybe it’s just the delusion of certain ‘experts’.
Alaba is still only 28, and was has been moved to a centre-back role in recent seasons as he has developed the know-how and presence of mind to flourish in that position. Liverpool’s defence was transformed by Virgil van Dijk, and Alaba has had a similar impact at Bayern in the central defensive role.
Under Hansi Flick, the Bavarians play a pressing and expansive game, with a high defensive line. The presence of players like Alaba and Alphonse Davies has helped them achieve that, not just because they have pace, but also due to the fact that they are extremely good front-footed defenders.
Proactive football needs front-footed defenders, and Alaba certainly is one. That coupled with his ability to play out from the back and physicality means he would be a good fit under Klopp’s system.
A long-term option you ask? Well, considering the way he is playing, it’s unlikely he will stop being a good player in a couple of years’ time. Alaba could well play into his mid-30s, and be a crucial part of the remaining years of the Klopp era (his contract runs until 2024, by which time Alaba will be 32) if the Reds decide to snap him up for cheap in January.
An elite player like Alaba who could come cheap in January is really a no brainer for any club, regardless of how old or young he is.
