Jurgen Klopp may not be willing to admit it, but he made a big mistake by not signing a new centre-back at Liverpool over the summer.

According to the German, his current crop of central defenders - including Dejan Lovren and Ragnar Klavan - are all good enough for a title-chasing side in the Premier League.

Liverpool fans would argue otherwise and there's been plenty of evidence this season to support their claims.

Against Newcastle United over the weekend, for example, Jonjo Shelvey carved open Liverpool's defence with one pass straight down the middle.

Shelvey's ball found Joselu, who equalised for Newcastle to earn a point at St James' Park after Philippe Coutinho's opener.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher was seething in the post-match analysis and blasted his former side for once again conceding a sloppy goal.

"It sums Liverpool up defensively," he said alongside Graeme Souness on Sky Sports. "In total control and they concede yet again. How many times have we got to say it?

"A lack of concentration has cost Liverpool yet again and whenever they concede chances they are always big chances.

“When you are defending you have to be really aggressive, but when you are on the ball you have to be composed. Liverpool don't switch quick enough between the two."

Klopp only has himself to blame for his side's shortcomings at the back, especially considering he rejected the chance to sign two top-class defenders over the summer.

According to De Telegraaf, Klopp turned down both Davinson Sanchez and Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly in the transfer window because he thought Lovren and co. were better.

Both players represent upgrades on Klopp's current crop of centre-backs, bar Joel Matip perhaps, yet Klopp wasn't interested.

He actually admitted as much last month, saying that he watched Sanchez and Koulibaly "500 times" but decided they were no better.

Awkward. What Liverpool fans want to see is Southampton's Virgil van Dijk join in January after he made himself available for a move.

The Dutchman is exactly what Klopp needs - if only he could realise that.