Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat to Brentford on Saturday evening has thrown up huge concerns from pundits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards in terms of their defensive record – with Reds stars Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate being the latest duo to be singled out for criticism after being ‘terrible’.

Liverpool began the season in fine fashion with five wins in a row in the Premier League, but they have since followed that up with four defeats, falling off top spot to seventh in the table after their latest loss to Brentford.

Already trailing by a seven-point gap to leaders Arsenal, Arne Slot knows that something needs to change if they are to mount anything close to a title challenge. Their star summer signings simply haven’t shown up.

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But it’s two of their old guard in Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate who have been the latest to be criticised, this time by Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, with the former being described as ‘terrible’ during the defeat in the capital.

Photo by Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images

Virgil van Dijk has been the Premier League’s best centre-back for the past ten years, make no mistake.

But...