Arne Slot and Richard Hughes have clear Liverpool transfer priority after obvious weakness exposed

While the headlines have centred around Liverpool's difficulties as an attacking force of late, their struggles as a defensive unit will have been just as frustrating for Jurgen Klopp.

Eleven goals have been shipped since the Reds' last clean sheet, which by the time Tottenham Hotspur are hosted on Sunday afternoon, will be over two months ago at Nottingham Forest.

With three games left to negotiate, it appears as though Klopp's backline will at least improve on the 47 they conceded during a disappointing term last time out when they finished fifth, but the tally of 36 at the moment is still 10 higher than two years ago, when they finished as runners up to Manchester City and it's already three more than 2020 when Klopp's team won the league with a remarkable seven games to spare.

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In full fairness, a lot of the issues have stemmed from an inability to keep a settled and first-choice backline on the pitch for the majority of the campaign. A back five of Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson has been fielded just three times all season in the Premier League. Two of those came in the opening couple of fixtures back in August before last week's dismal Merseyside derby showing at Goodison Park.

That lack of rhythm and momentum has no doubt undercut a team who, for a myriad of reasons, have simply been unable to select their 'best' or 'first choice' defence.

Only Van Dijk has played over 2300 minutes with long-term injuries for the likes of Alisson, Alexander-Arnold and Robertson all impacting the ability to have a settled setup at the back.

Injuries in September, January and February have caused Alexander-Arnold to miss 22 games in total, while Robertson was forced to undergo shoulder surgery in October. He was missing for 24 matches before an ankle problem and illness have since taken that total to 26.

Konate has struggled with fitness problems at various times across his near three years on Merseyside and the France defender has been limited to 22 of the 33 matches played in the Premier League this time out.

That figure is still the centre-back's best return since his move from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2021 but once more injuries have limited his involvement and he hasn't looked near his best since a recent comeback from a muscle problem picked up in Prague in March.

Alisson, who returned from a hamstring issue last month, has sat out 17 games in total with deputy Caoimhin Kelleher making only three appearances fewer than the Brazilian's 29 across all competitions.

Joel Matip's season was cut short in early December too after suffering an ACL rupture and it looks like the long-serving defender might have played his final game for the club as he enters the last few weeks of his contract.

Joe Gomez, meanwhile, has solidified his reputation as a dependable all-rounder this term, featuring just five times in his favoured role in the centre of defence, operating at right-back 23 times and on the left side 17. The Londoner has even tried his hand as a defensive midfielder at the height of the Reds' injury crisis earlier this calendar year.

It all paints a picture of a defensive department in flux and, when armed with evidence, an argument can be made that Liverpool have operated about as well as could be expected at the back given their problems, particularly when asking inexperienced players like Conor Bradley (27 appearances) and Quansah (30 appearances) to play so often.

There's a reason why Van Dijk has, until recent weeks, been earning rave reviews and high praise. Never were the Liverpool captain's imperious displays being talked up more than when he helped largely nullify the considerable threat of Erling Haaland and Manchester City as a whole in a back four containing Kelleher, Bradley, Quansah and Gomez as a left-back in March.

But with the Reds skipper entering the final 12 months of his deal this summer, major contract talks need to be scheduled at some stage. Van Dijk has shown this year he is still one of the finest around and better availability from those around him will give a new-look Liverpool a real chance of success going forward.

It's clear the team could benefit from a consistent backline for the remainder of the campaign but given the chopping and changing that has been forced on the defence all season, it could also be argued that more durable and dependable performers be drafted in this summer.

With Matip almost certain to leave, the question may not necessarily be around if Liverpool need a centre-back but in fact how many is now required. Quansah will almost certainly be expected to continue as a first-team player going forward but an inability to keep Konate fit and Gomez's new-found reputation as a high-calibre utility man, there is a very real argument that Arne Slot and Richard Hughes's first transfer meeting should revolve around an incoming centre-back or two.