About 80 minutes into Liverpool's Premier League match against Fulham on Sunday, tremors of trepidation rippled throughout Anfield; Bobby Decordova-Reid had scored, and Jurgen Klopp's side were heading for a 3-2 defeat.
With first-placed Arsenal performing at such a high level this season and Manchester City being… well, City, then each match in the English top-flight is crucial, each slip-up possibly detrimental.
The Reds had not played at their best, but had wowed the home side with a fierce free-kick from Trent Alexander-Arnold – bouncing in off Cottagers keeper Bernd Leno – and Alexis Mac Allister's staggering ranged effort, breaking the top corner of the net the way an ascending rocket breaks the atmos.
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But defensive issues were rife and Liverpool suffered the consequences of their, candidly, schoolboy defending at times, saved through some late heroics from substitute Wataru Endo to restore parity from range before Alexander-Arnold struck to send the red half of Merseyside into an awestruck frenzy.
Such performances win matches but should it continue then it will not win titles: throughout the campaign, greater stability and protection are paramount, incredible mentality or not.
It has been anticipated that the January transfer window will welcome defence-minded additions in one form or another, with such plans potentially accelerated following an injury sustained by Joel Matip against Marco Silva's side.
Joel Matip's season in numbers
Matip has been a stalwart throughout Klopp's successful tenure on Merseyside, amassing 201 appearances across all competitions since signing on a free transfer from German side Schalke in 2016.
This season, the 32-year-old has played 14 times across all competitions and earned nine starts in the Premier League, completing 88% of passes, averaging 5.8 ball recoveries and 4.1 clearances and winning 74% of his aerial battles, as per Sofascore.
One of the most interesting defenders in the Premier League, Matip ranks among the top 5% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, beloved at Anfield for his bemusing ventures into the final third, deceptively adept with his dribbling ability.
Player
Club
Raphael Varane
Manchester United
Lewis Dunk
Brighton & Hove Albion
Konstantinos Mavropanos
West Ham United
Danilo Pereira
Paris Saint-Germain
Sergio Ramos
Sevilla
Withdrawn against Fulham with a knee injury, Klopp admitted that the issue did not look promising and that he may be set for a lengthy spell of recovery.
It's not like Liverpool don't have options to compensate for his absence, with Joe Gomez back in form this year after struggling last season and Ibrahima Konate arguably the club's most talented centre-half bar imperious captain Virgil van Dijk, though the Frenchman is sadly injury-prone and incessantly stifled by knocks and setbacks.
Indeed, Konate has only started three times in the Premier League since the third matchweek of the campaign, and while he will surely be called upon over the forthcoming period of winter football, there will be worries that he will join those in the medical room.
With Matip actually set for departure from Liverpool at the end of the term as things stand, with his contract up for expiry, the Reds will undoubtedly be drawing up plans, but the process may now be accelerated with the veteran slumping to the sidelines indefinitely.
But away from the transfer front, Matip's loss might be another talented defender's gain, with Jarell Quansah perhaps now receiving a license to earn regular minutes in the English top-flight, having enjoyed an impressive rise at Liverpool over the opening months of the season.
Jarell Quansah's time to shine
Quansah was promoted to the Liverpool first-team in the summer after impressing over the past few years, having spent some time out on loan with Bristol Rovers in League One during the 2022/23 campaign, where Joey Barton touted him for big things in the future.
He said: “He’s as good on the ball that you’ll need to be in terms of building out from the back. He’s going to get bigger, he’s going to get stronger, he’s going to get faster. His anticipation of the game is going to be better because more senior games get you that. He has an enormous future in front of him."
Well, Quansah might still be in the fledgling phase of his Liverpool career but he is already looking like he's destined to cement a prominent role in the future, and with Matip now forced away from match action he must be entrusted with a bigger part in the Premier League, adding to his one performance from the outset thus far, where he did well against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The 6 foot 5 titan has been described as "absolutely phenomenal" by Reds teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold for the ease of his integration into Klopp's senior set-up, having now completed ten appearances this season, starting three times in the Europa League.
On the continental scene, the 20-year-old has completed 91% of his passes, made 3.5 ball recoveries and 2.3 clearances per game and won 56% of his duels.
As the video illuminates below, Quansah also appears to have a willingness to drive forward and influence play offensively in his locker, perhaps serving him as well as he stakes a claim to be Matip's heir.
Question marks over Liverpool's midfield persist, with the summer signings all exciting and influential but none possessing the natural attack-stopping skill that Fabinho, for example, boasted.
Liverpool's weakness in defending the transition is clear and was evidenced once again against Fulham; it's perhaps telling that three goals were shipped as Alisson Becker recovers from a hamstring injury, the Brazilian goalkeeper boasting the best save percentage (78.8%) in the Premier League this term.
Because of this, it might be wise for Liverpool to complete the midfield rebuild with the transfer of a specialist No. 6 in January, and while a defensive addition would be well-received too, Quansah will be determined to step up to the plate and prove his worth as a starring member of Klopp's ambitious side.
