Head coach Andoni Iraola will be hoping he has found an answer to Liverpool’s leaky defence just in time for the start of the Champions League.
Friday’s 2-0 win at Ipswich was the first time in 10 matches stretching back to April 11 the back four – two of whom, plus goalkeeper Alisson Becker, were virtual ever-presents last season – had kept a clean sheet.
On-loan Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, primarily a centre-back, replaced the more attack-minded Jeremie Frimpong and impressed on his first start.
Araujo won the most duels, the most aerial contests and had the joint-most clearances in the game, providing a much more solid base on the right of defence – an area from which the now-departed Trent Alexander-Arnold used to maraud forward as one of the team’s major creators.
Critics will point to the clean sheet only coming against promoted Ipswich, but they had scored at least twice in their previous three matches, including against Manchester United.
But Iraola has quickly realised he cannot afford to leave the team so open, particularly when chopping and changing the sides his wingers play on has prevented them from building a meaningful understanding with their full-backs.
“We will need Jeremie Frimpong when we need to be more offensive, and for others we will need Ronald. We will take that decision according to the game,” was Iraola’s view on which right-back he will select.
The visit on Wednesday of Atletico Madrid, wily opponents who will be looking to expose their hosts on the counter-attack, does not seem the sort of game for Frimpong, so Araujo could earn his first European start for his new club.
With Virgil van Dijk’s new central-defensive partner Jeremy Jacquet appearing to have settled into English football quickly following his move from Rennes, there already appears to be a more solid foundation.
If that can be maintained then some of the major failings which cost them last season – being exposed on the counter-attack, being unable to see out games in which they were leading – could start to be eradicated.