Liverpool have endured a remarkable fall from grace this term, with injuries to key stars in Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez leading to an unsettling of the backline and team structure.
Writing in his column for Eurosport, former Manchester United star Paul Parker claimed that Liverpool’s struggles this season have largely been down to the club’s poor finishing up top.
“While people talk about them missing their centre halves this season, I think their biggest issue has been missing golden opportunities, and that, for me, has been their biggest problem,” the former fullback wrote. “Mohamed Salah has been their best forward, but Sadio Mane has had an ‘off’ season. Not just failing to score the goals but in terms of his performances too. Roberto Firmino has been so in and out.”
The downward turn of form for Bobby Firmino and Sadio Mane has undoubtedly partly informed Jurgen Klopp’s plans to bring in a new forward in the summer, with the likes of Raphinha and Patson Daka touted as potential targets.
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Diogo Jota, bought in the summer from Wolves, has been a solid signing for the incumbent Premier League champions, though there is the expectation that Liverpool’s No.9 has seen his best days at Anfield.
Given how heavily the club have relied on the same front-three over the past three trophy-winning seasons, however, it’s just as important that the Reds invest wisely in offensive reinforcements in the summer to ensure that they are no more at the mercy of form.