Jamie Carragher insists Liverpool need to sign a midfielder to finish in the top four

Jamie Carragher has slammed Liverpool for their lack of physicality after Monday’s 3-1 defeat by Brentford, accusing them of “not looking like a Jurgen Klopp team”.

The Reds struggled to get into the game at a sprawling Gtech Community Stadium as goals from Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo contributed to an Ibrahima Konate own goal. It comes after a promising string of results for the club, although their performances have been questioned for some time.

Liverpool’s top-four hopes now look shaky as the Bees have moved up to seventh place.

Liverpool were physically outplayed on Monday as they lost 3-1 to Brentford in the top flight

Jamie Carragher accused his former side of ‘not looking like a Jurgen Klopp team’ after the defeat.

For Carragher, his former side’s lack of pace and physicality was a serious concern. He told Sky Sports: “From the first minute of Jurgen Klopp’s era, forget about the quality of the players, they were sprinting everywhere.

“I don’t see that now. It’s not a Jurgen Klopp team. And I want to know why, because I can’t figure it out. They have some great technical players coming through but they don’t look like Jurgen Klopp players.

“They need a complete overhaul in midfield. It’s like they’re trying to play the Jurgen Klopp way without Jurgen Klopp’s players. In terms of the press, they’re like a normal team now, but they still play on that high line.

“We’re talking about Virgil van Dijk, he wasn’t at his best but no matter how good you are you need protection from your midfield. If you don’t get protection, you don’t stand a chance.”

Their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League are now hanging in the balance

The former defender compared Liverpool to another declining Premier League team, adding: “It reminds me of the Arsenal team under Arsene Wenger, they’ve always been a great football team but their pace and physicality was what the teams weren’t could get along with.

“And then this team turned into something really technical and then they never won again.”

Carragher thought it was crucial that Liverpool were spending “£200m” on top-flight midfielders and that they wouldn’t finish in the top four unless they strengthened in that area.

“The Liverpool transfer team have been praised more than any other in the Premier League but that’s on them,” he said.

Carragher compared Liverpool’s decline to Arsenal at the end of Arsène Wenger’s tenure

“They have gone from a team fighting for four trophies to a team fighting for a place in the Champions League. Liverpool didn’t sign a midfielder in the summer.

“You can’t get in the top four without signing a midfielder. I can’t imagine that changing before the end of the season.

“You need one [Georginio] Wijnaldum-type midfielder who, along with a Fabhino, can protect that back four and stop players from going through.

Liverpool are next in action in the Premier League when they take on Brighton on Saturday 14 January.