In an end-to-end game at Anfield yesterday afternoon, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was only minutes away from earning his first victory as Reds boss only for a late Sadio Mane goal to snatch a 1-1 draw for Southampton in the dying embers.
A fair result according to our neutrals, our Reds contingent were absolutely gutted because in their eyes, Liverpool should’ve completely locked the game down after Christian Benteke expertly headed them into a 77th-minute lead.
Having now drawn his opening three games as Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp will be frustrated inside but there’s no denying that on the outside, his façade is one hundred per cent positive with the German doing everything to encourage his newly adopted troops.
You get the sense that the Anfield public is ready to explode in celebration at Klopp making it work on Merseyside but for the time being, the same frustrations of the previous Brendan Rodgers regime remain with the Reds being blunt in attack and far from being safe as houses at the back.
In truth, any team that loses the talents of Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling and further injury troubles to Daniel Sturridge is going to suffer as a result but in the players that have remained, it’s fair that much more is expected of them than the current performances they’re producing.
One man who hasn’t breached Klopp’s starting eleven so far is former Rodgers favourite Joe Allen who Metro have actually linked with the Reds’ weekend opponents Southampton today.
With it being believable that Klopp will relieve the Welsh international of his duties in the New Year, we’ve devised a list of five other Reds stars who could also be departing through the Anfield exit doors.
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Click on the image below to reveal the five players to follow Joe Allen out of Liverpool in January.
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Divock Origi
While a lot of faith has been placed in Divock Origi as Liverpool’s sole striker in Klopp’s first three games in charge, in reality, the German has had little other options.
With Daniel Sturridge missing since his Aston Villa return through a further injury aggravation, not to mention Danny Ings being out for the season, the spotlight has fell upon Origi who has in no uncertain terms, flattered to deceive with Reds fans turning on the Belgian international of late.
In truth, Klopp may have started with eventual goalscorer Christian Benteke against Southampton yesterday but saw fit to go careful with his injury return and as a result, Origi produced another 45 minutes of naive attacking play as the lone frontman.
Klopp will have a decision to make regarding a player who was ultimately a Brendan Rodgers signing and while we may have thought a loan switch in January would suit, perhaps a permanent transfer away can’t be ruled out with Liverpool needing to be ruthless with players who don’t cut the mustard.
Jordon Ibe
With Jordon Ibe coming on a sub with just seven minutes to go against Southampton yesterday afternoon, it appears Jurgen Klopp favours the duo of Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho in the attacking midfield positions right now.
Having already learned his trade out on loan at Birmingham City and Derby County, Ibe returned for a breakthrough season under Brendan Rodgers last term but we feel Jurgen Klopp might be looking to strengthen in Ibe’s position.
At the end of the day, everybody knows Liverpool need to strengthen their defence and central midfield but attack-minded signings get clubs out of a hole and with Roberto Firmino taking a longer time to adapt to English football, perhaps Ibe might be loaned again to accommodate a new signing.
A favourite under Brendan Rodgers, Ibe is still anything but the finished article and a loan switch, this time to a Premier League club as opposed to the Championship, could do the trick for his long-term development.
Dejan Lovren
With Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho marshalling the Reds’ back line in Klopp’s three games in charge so far, there is yet to be an opportunity for Dejan Lovren.
There’s no getting away from the fact that the Croatian international has been a flop signing so far and with so many errors having already been made in his still short Reds career, you can’t help feel that the writing may be on the wall.
With Skrtel being a long-time servant and Sakho undoubtedly being a fan favourite with the Kop, Lovren might be the centre back that is sacrificed by Klopp who surely is mulling over top class defenders to purchase in the January transfer window to sure up Liverpool’s back line.
For Lovren’s part, he will be hoping that Klopp chooses to part with Kolo Toure but with the Ivorian having penned a new deal at the end of last season, it appears the former Manchester City man will be sticking around as a bit-part player.
Jose Enrique
Unfortunately for Jose Enrique, the former Newcastle United man’s last couple of seasons have been blighted by long-term injuries, so much so that a few of our Liverpool fans have forgotten what he looks like!
With Alberto Moreno the current first choice left back in Joe Gomez’s absence, Enrique was third in the pecking order anyway at the start of the season and with a new manager in Klopp now on board, he’ll probably be sure to scrap the deadwood which is a category Enrique currently falls within.
It is a shame for the player however who started life at Anfield quite brightly but fast forward to 2015 and the player is simply collecting a wage while not playing.
Jordan Rossiter
Having received a few chances with the Liverpool first team here and there, Jordan Rossiter ultimately needs to be playing at his age and that’s why a first professional loan move seems like the most sensible solution for his development.
With Jordan Henderson, Lucas Leiva, James Milner and Emre Can already on Liverpool’s books, not to mention the fact Jurgen Klopp might earmark this position as one that needs strengthening in January, starting eleven prospects for Rossiter in central midfield look bleak.
What’s more, Liverpool won’t really be relying on untried talents such as Rossiter any time soon either given the fact the Reds need to haul themselves up the Premier League table with victories so a value-adding temporary experience away seems like an absolute no-brainer for the local lad.
