Liverpool will ‘sacrifice their season’ if they don’t sign a defender, says Rio Ferdinand

Injuries have decimated the Reds’ defensive options this season

BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand (BT Sport)

Liverpool are at risk of throwing away the chance to win trophies this season if they don’t enter the transfer market, says Rio Ferdinand.

The Reds won the Premier League title last year but are now six points behind leaders Manchester City, who have a game in hand, after a poor run of recent form. Five league games without a win came to an end on Thursday night as Liverpool won 3-1 away to Tottenham, but that fixture saw the already dismal situation at centre-back worsen further.

Fabinho has been a stand-in at the heart of the back line since Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk suffered long-term knee injuries, but he was missing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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And while Joel Matip recovered to start the game, he went off injured at the break and manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed it looked like a “serious” ankle issue, leaving the largely untested Nat Phillips partnering midfielder Jordan Henderson in defence.

Former Manchester United defender Ferdinand feels the alterations weaken the Reds in two areas of the pitch and suggested they must dip into the transfer market to find solutions before the January window closes.

“We were all sat here before the programme and said that you think they would go into the market. Is it the people who own the club's decision or is it Klopp's?” he said on BT Sport.

"They're weak in the back and now in midfield because they're playing in defence. There's a big void left at the back.

“[If they don't sign anyone] that means they want to sacrifice their season with the inexperience of Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams.”

Fellow pundits Jermaine Jenas suggested Liverpool could have their "eye on someone" specific who wasn’t available at this moment, but former Reds striker Peter Crouch made the case for a bridge signing to get through to summer if that was the case.

"I can't understand why they haven't gone in for a centre back and get a stop-gap until the big boys are back.

“The recruitment at Liverpool is usually so good so I'm confused why they haven't got one.”