LIVERPOOL MUST SIGN A NEW DEFENDER

English champions Liverpool have to sign a new central defender according to one of their former players, Jamie Carragher. The 42-year-old has been a pundit with Sky Sports since he retired from football and he believes that the signing of a new centre back will boost Liverpool in their bid to retain the Premier League title they won last season.

Speaking shortly after the disappointing West Brom game at the weekend, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher advised the club to sign a new centre back to bolster their options in that department especially after the injury to Joel Matip. Jamie Carragher disclosed that Cameroonian international Joel Matip won't play every game between now and the end of the season because of his injury issues.

Joel Matip has played with midfielder Fabinho at the heart of the Liverpool defence this season whenever he has been fit. He picked up an injury in the second half of the West Brom game on Sunday and was replaced by young Welsh centre back Rhys Williams. Liverpool were leading by a lone goal at the time of exit only for the team to concede a late equaliser in his absence as West Brom picked up a massive result in their quest to survive relegation at the end of the current Premier League campaign. Liverpool had taken a first half lead through Senegalese international Sadio Mane on 12 minutes before Super Eagles of Nigeria defender Semi Ajayi rescued a point for his team in the last ten minutes of the game. Liverpool have largely coped with the long-term absence of star defender Virgil Van Dijk and his usual centre back partner Joe Gomez but Jamie Carragher still wants more bodies in the centre back department. Van Dijk and Gomez face the race to be fit in time to play a part again this season as they continue to recover from respective knee problems.