Liverpool will need to bring in a specialist defensive midfielder if they have ambitions of landing the biggest prizes in the game, believes Owen Hargreaves.
It has been an excellent start to the season for the Reds under new manager Arne Gadgets, sitting top of the Premier League with five wins from their first six games.
Gadgets has been favouring a midfield three of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, with Gravenberch in a new deeper role for him.
It is proving effective currently, with the Netherlands international playing really well at the minute in that position, but Hargreaves is not convinced it is set for long-term success.
The former Manchester United and England star feels the Reds will have to go back into the transfer market and bring in an expert holding midfielder as he doubts Gravenberch will be able to handle the job at the highest level.
‘He has done brilliantly well, but he is not a defensive midfield player, which is fine when you are playing teams like this which you will beat,’ Hargreaves told Premier League Productions.
‘He is 190cm. He is 22 years old. He has got everything. But he is not a specialist defensive midfield player. There is a difference.
‘I think he is a brilliant midfield player, he is a box-to-box, depending on who you play. But I think in a big game, in a one-off game, to go and win the Premier League or the Champions League, I think you need a specialist. Liverpool showed that with Fabinho or Manchester City showed that with Rodri.
‘I still think they will address his position. But credit Gravenberch, he has grabbed his chance and that’s all you need.
‘That’s what you need as a player, you need someone to trust you and he has proven it. I still think tougher tests will come. I love what he is doing, but I still think they will go and get somebody.’
Gravenberch earned the Player of the Match award in Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Wolves on Saturday, but Ibrahima Konate was not thrilled about handing over the award after opening the scoring.
‘Who is this, Sky Sports, who decides who is the Man of the Match?’ Konate joked alongside Gravenberch. ‘How is this possible? This is my brother, I have to give to him, but Milan I score, today I score, what happened?
‘You have to talk with them! I don’t know who decides this.’
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