Liverpool have yet to get full value from their huge summer spending spree because of the string of injuries they have suffered, according to head coach Arne Slot.
British record signing Alexander Isak arrived lacking match fitness, struggled with niggles and was then ruled out for at least two months after breaking a bone in his leg at Tottenham last week.
Centre-back Giovanni Leoni sustained a season-ending ACL injury in his first appearance while Jeremie Frimpong has made just five starts in 11 games due to a persistent hamstring issue.
The trio cost close to £200million, almost half of the club’s outlay, yet have made a combined 28 appearances and that has hamstrung Slot’s plan to reinvigorate the squad.
Frimpong marked his first Premier League start with an assist for Ryan Gravenberch’s opener in the 2-1 win over Wolves, in which £116m signing Florian Wirtz scored his first goal for the club, and Slot is hopeful his fellow Dutchman can remain fit to continue his progress.
“I think a lot has been said by so many people about the amount of money we’ve spent last summer,” said Slot.
“But unfortunately not all of the money we’ve spent we have used and that has to do with the injuries of these players.
“Jeremie is a great example: now if he is fit, he can definitely help us because last week he had the assist against Tottenham and he had a great assist against Wolves.
“Pace – that’s what he has and that’s so important and crucial in modern-day football.
“The first goal we scored was pure individual ability: quick – bam, bam – and a cut-back cross.”
Ironically it is the player they did not bring in – a deadline day for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi fell through – which is possibly costing them more.
Concession of a 12th goal from a set-piece this season, Santiago Bueno scoring at a corner, completely destabilised what had been a comfortable performance.
The hosts found themselves hanging on against a team which has just two points and which set a new Premier League record for not winning any of their first 18 matches.
Captain Virgil van Dijk admitted there is still more work to do to cut out the errors.
“There have been plenty of games when we have defended them very well but the fact is we’ve conceded too many set-piece goals and we don’t score enough,” he said.
“I’d say at least 75 per cent of the time or even more it’s not even about the first contact, it’s the second phase that is the killer.
“Each and every one of us has to take responsibility. It’s always going to be on the players.
“We can speak about how we defend and how we attack, but at the end of the day it’s about what the players put in.
“It’s not been good enough. We all realise that. We have spoken about that.”
