The Reds are going up against two young players at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday that would make a massive difference to their backline
Liverpool's Champions League dead rubber against PSV couldn't have come at a better time for Arne Slot, as it afforded the Dutchman a most welcome opportunity to rest his star players ahead of a potentially pivotal weekend in the Premier League title race.
Just over 24 hours before second-placed Arsenal host Manchester City at the Emirates, the table-topping Reds will take on one of the few teams in England that could actually claim to be playing as well as Liverpool right now. Just like Liverpool, Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last 11 league games, and just like Liverpool, they've taken 25 points from those games.
However, whereas the Reds have conceded 15 goals in that time, the Cherries have conceded just nine during a remarkable run that has propelled them up to seventh in the standings, just one point off a Champions League place.
So, while Liverpool's primary focus right now will be on figuring out how to breach the Bournemouth backline this weekend, it would be a surprise if sporting director Richard Hughes is not also plotting to dismantle his former club's defence during the summer by signing two of its key components…
AFPOngoing search
Liverpool need a new centre-back. We've known that for an awful long time now, but the paucity of options was made painfully clear at the Philips Arena on Wednesday night.
It was imperative that Slot took advantage of the opportunity to rest Virgil van Dijk, who starts nearly every game, and the injury-prone Ibrahima Konate. However, with utility man Joe Gomez still not back to full fitness, Liverpool were left with just one orthodox centre-back in Jarell Quansah, prompting Slot to ask left-back Andy Robertson to play in the middle alongside the youngster.
It didn't go particularly well, with both Quansah and Robertson embarrassed by Johan Bakayoko on PSV's equaliser, while the former also contributed to Ricardo Pepi's winner just before the break by making a complete mess of an attempted clearance in the build-up. Furthermore, when Robertson came off in the second half, Wataru Endo had to move back into the heart of the defence.
To make matters even worse, 18-year-old centre-back Amara Nallo was sent off for a professional foul on Bakayoko just four minutes into his professional debut – completing a miserable evening for nearly all of Liverpool's defenders, with Conor Bradley also looking vulnerable while deputising for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportQuestion mark over Quansah
Quansah's performance wasn't exactly the worst of the evening from a Liverpool perspective – but it was the most concerning. There's now an undeniable air of uncertainty around a player who took everyone by surprise at the start of last season when he slotted so seamlessly into the Liverpool backline amid a defensive injury crisis.
Truth be told, he's not looked right since his costly mistake in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford in March, and there's always the feeling now that no matter how well he appears to be playing, another error is never far away.
By complete contrast, Dean Huijsen is exuding confidence and calmness right now.
AFPCherries' 'Chill Guy' the answer?
It's certainly no coincidence that Bournemouth have become one of the toughest teams in the league to break down since Huijsen was given a regular run of games. The 19-year-old unsurprisingly took time to settle at the Vitality Stadium following his summer switch from Juventus, but Andoni Iraola's decision to promote him to the starting line-up for the game against Tottenham on December 5 proved a masterstroke – and not just because Huijsen scored the winner that day.
Bournemouth had kept just one clean sheet in the league going into the game; they've now got six. And Huijsen is a big reason why, on account of his ability to both read the play and break it up.
The Cherries' 'Chill Guy' is also incredibly comfortable on the ball and has a fine range of passing – two key attributes for any potential Liverpool defender.
Getty ImagesPerfect profile
Lest anyone forget, the Reds have been monitoring Huijsen's progress for some time now. Before he'd even left Juventus to join Roma on loan in January of last year, Liverpool were looking at the composed central defender, who had rejected the chance to join Real Madrid as a teenager in favour of learning his trade in Italy.
Of course, Hughes only arrived at Anfield last summer and Huijsen also joined Bournemouth after he'd left his post as technical director – but the Dutch-born Spain Under-21 international appears to have the perfect age and player profile for the typical Liverpool signing.
Best of all, it's been claimed that there is a buy-out clause in his contract that can be activated at the end of the season. The only issue is that several other top teams are reportedly queuing up to sign Huijsen, including Chelsea and Real Madrid.
