Liverpool's centre-back gamble already backfiring

IT DID not take long for the folly of failing to add depth to the centre-back position to bite Liverpool, with Crystal Palace exposing cracks that had been hinted at despite five wins in their first five Premier League matches.

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Granted, Arne Slot could not have envisaged the crushing injury blow to young Italian defender Giovanni Leoni, who had impressed on his League Cup debut. But the decision to try to wrap up a move for England's Marc Guehi only on transfer deadline day - when interest on both sides had been apparent throughout the window - may be a rare black mark on Slot's previously unblemished record on Merseyside.

The England stalwart demonstrated exactly what Liverpool had missed out on after the deal collapsed late on the final day of the window. Guehi had already agreed a £35m transfer and passed a medical, but Palace argued they did not have time to find a suitable replacement for their skipper and pulled the plug.