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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp tipped by Mark Lawrenson to play makeshift defender v Brighton
LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp will be forced to play holding midfielder Fabinho at centre-back on Saturday due to the side’s defensive injury crisis, says Mark Lawrenson.
Liverpool's Premier League clash with Brighton previewed
Liverpool have three of their four senior centre-halves on the treatment table in Joe Gomez, Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip.
Although Matip has returned to training this week, the other two are expected to miss the next two games, at least.
Senior defender Virgil van Dijk was also missing from Liverpool’s loss to Wolves in the FA Cup on Monday for a minor issue, but has returned to training and should be fit for Saturday’s trip to Brighton.
Who Van Dijk will be partnered with in Klopp’s back-four remains to be seen, however Lawrenson has tipped Fabinho to make the step up having played there against Wolves.
I suspect Fabinho will play there - I can't see what else Reds boss Jurgen Klopp would do
“Liverpool have got a problem in central defence with Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip injured,” Lawrenson told BBC Sport.
“And I suspect Fabinho will play there - I can't see what else Reds boss Jurgen Klopp would do.”
Fabinho has very sparingly been deployed as a centre-half during his career, but Klopp may have his hands forced unless he takes a leap of faith.
Ki-Jana Hoever, 16, impressed against Wolves in his Liverpool debut, and according to the club website “is equally comfortable playing at centre-half or right-back”.
Lawrenson thinks pledging faith in the youngster once more would be a step too far, however.
“Ki-Jana Hoever did great when he came on for Lovren against Wolves, but you would not want to chuck a 16-year-old in at Brighton because he would have Glenn Murray to contend with,” Lawrenson opined.
“I know the Seagulls are not the most attacking team, and Liverpool turned them over easily at Amex Stadium last season, but Murray against a kid? No, he would have too much experience for him.”
Lawrenson, who won five league titles at the heart of Liverpool’s defence in the 1980s, fears Brighton’s knowhow to the extent that he thinks Klopp’s men will only come away with a 1-1 draw.
“It would clearly be preferable for Liverpool to be at Anfield as they look to bounce back this weekend, especially because the thing about Brighton is that they are very good at stopping teams from playing,” he added.
“Brighton have got a good home record too, which is why I am going for a draw here. I don't know whether this might be a little bump in the road for Liverpool.
“But if I am right and they drop points on Saturday, I would also back them to return to winning ways in their home games against Crystal Palace and Leicester before the end of the month.”