Former Premier League boss Alan Pardew believes Liverpool’s constant chopping and changing of full-backs is an ‘issue’.
However, Pardew implored Reds manager Arne Slot could partly solve the glaring problem by bringing Andy Robertson back into the fold.
Liverpool went into the international break sitting second place in the Premier League having slipped to a last-minute defeat against Chelsea.
It was the Reds’ second defeat of the season from seven league fixtures and third across all competitions.
To put that figure into context, Slot’s side lost just four times in the league throughout the entire 2024/25 campaign in which they won the title.
Slot’s interesting defensive choices
Liverpool’s form hasn’t been aided by Slot’s tweaking of his backline.
Andy Robertson, who had been Liverpool’s top left-back for several seasons, was displaced following the arrival of Milos Kerkez last summer.
It’s meant Robertson has started just two games all season, one of which was in the Champions League and the other in the League Cup.
The situation at right-back is even murkier.
Conor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong and even Dominik Szoboszlai, a central midfielder by trade, have all started at right-back this season.
Pardew’s verdict on Liverpool’s defensive re-shuffling
Speaking on talkSPORT’s Final Word, Pardew explained why he felt the Reds’ downturn in form had coincided with the eyebrow-raising team selections.
“They (Liverpool) haven’t really played one great game, I don’t think,” Pardew said.
“He (Slot) has made a lot of changes. They have got great talent in and around the team.
“It is going to be a question mark getting the balance right. I think changing the two full-backs – Andy Robertson has been absolutely brilliant this week for Scotland – has been an issue. I think they’ve not looked as good at the back.”
Salah’s struggles this season
Another Liverpool star who hasn’t lived up to expectations this term is Mohamed Salah.
The superstar has registered just three goals and three assists from ten games this season.
In fact, since Salah penned his new contract on April 10, he has contributed nine goal contributions from 17 fixtures across all competitions.
However, Pardew believes it’s only a matter of time before the Egyptian gets back to his blistering best.
“Mo (Salah) obviously hasn’t hit the heights since he’s signed the new contract, although I do feel that this game (against Manchester United) could be, ‘Oh, Salah isn’t that bad, he’s back to his best,’ one of those games, because he is that type of player,” Pardew said.
“He had a game where his offensive work was poor. His defensive work is sound usually and I think he had one of those days.
“I think he’ll come roaring back and I think Liverpool will win that game. It’ll be a great game to watch and I’m looking forward to it.”
Slot will look to restore Liverpool back to winning ways when they welcome Manchester United to Anfield on Sunday.
It is a fixture which has been rather kind to Slot’s side in recent years, as the Red Devils have won just once whenever the two sides have faced off in the Premier League since March 2018.
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