The morning after Liverpool defeated Tottenham Hotspur, Gareth Roberts of The Anfield Wrap is nevertheless concerned by the club's unwillingness to recruit a new central defender.
As Jurgen Klopp's team got back to winning ways on Thursday night, there will be some concern surrounding the injury sustained by Joel Matip against Spurs.
Withdrawn after suffering what Klopp described as a 'serious injury', Matip's absence compounds Liverpool's defensive issues; the Cameroonian joining Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez on the sidelines.
Although the club has been steadfast in its refusal to entertain a new defensive signing in the winter transfer window, Roberts asserted on Friday's OTB AM that the club must act now to recruit a back-up.
"It is absolutely vital that they go and get someone," he stated, wary of the few days that now remain before the transfer window closes until the summer months.
"I don't believe that there isn't somebody in world football who is available and wants to play for the Champions and is a better defender than Nat Phillips or Rhys Williams.
"That isn't to throw those lads under the bus, but they're not to the level of a team that is trying to finish in the top 2, for instance."
Convincing Premier League winners last season, Liverpool appear in danger of losing their title this time out.
With a potentially decisive game against Manchester City coming up in early February, Roberts does not necessarily subscribe to the notion that Liverpool are safe-guarding the club's future in not acting to address this issue.
"It feels all a little bit like it did eight, nine years ago when John Henry was writing an open letter to fans about why the club hadn't done something in the transfer market," he recalled, the details of that particular missive available to read here.
"Liverpool are the champions, they've won the European Cup and Club World Cup, they need to act like that. I understand that there's a pandemic and money is tight... but I don't believe that going to get one or even two centre-backs would bankrupt the club in this current situation.
"There's got to be someone out there so I would like to see someone coming in. We are papering the cracks at the back. Liverpool have got to do business for me if they've got any ambition this season."
You can watch Gareth Roberts' full assessment of the Liverpool performance last night and an in-depth chat about the toxic element of the club's rivalry with Manchester United here
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