Liverpool’s centre-back gamble already backfiring after Marc Guehi miss

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.

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.

It was not the only deal to fall flat in the frantic final hours of the window, but it hints at a worrying arrogance and shortsightedness from Liverpool, who had been praised for decisively securing other targets while rivals dithered. Had they moved with the same intent for Guehi earlier, Palace would have had plenty of time to find a replacement.

Instead, Liverpool played a dangerous waiting game, apparently hoping to drive the price down for a player already set on a move to Anfield.

The league champions showed they were not averse to spending, with the record signing of striker Alexander Isak on deadline day. So why quibble over a few million pounds for a defender worth far more than Palace’s original £65m asking price? It is a case of being penny wise and pound foolish.

The decision is especially puzzling considering Liverpool had already sold rising central defensive star Jarell Quansah. While Leoni’s arrival might have covered Quansah’s exit, the squad still looked thin at centre-back, with injury-prone Joe Gomez the only other cover and Ibrahima Konaté prone to errors. Much of the burden still falls on ageing skipper Virgil van Dijk.

Club legend Jamie Carragher had insisted that signing a centre-back was more important than pursuing Isak. Few could have predicted he would be proven right so early in the season, with Leoni’s ACL injury set to rule him out for up to a year.

Liverpool now face a defensive conundrum that may be beyond Slot’s ability to fix. Moving midfielder Wataru Endo to centre-back has met with limited success.

A potential January move for Guehi may be complicated by other suitors hoping to sign one of Europe’s best central defenders on a ‘free’. Palace could also demand a significant fee should the Reds come knocking again, despite Guehi’s contract running out at the end of the campaign.

Guehi has been a consummate professional despite the failed move. He was once again an assured presence in the heart of Palace’s defence on Saturday, while Konaté looked shaky and even the usually composed Van Dijk appeared frazzled.

If Liverpool needed further proof of Guehi’s class, it was abundantly clear.

The Reds would be wise to secure a deal for the defender now, if possible, to avoid further drama in January. In the meantime, they must pray there are no further setbacks among their only three fit first-choice centre-backs.