Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has opted to put his trust in last Season’s error-ridden defender Dejan Lovren for the immediate future.
After last weekends 1-0 win over Stoke City where Lovren was good in fairness, Mamado Sakho has been shoved down the pecking order.
Rodgers said: “I thought that back four last week were exceptional.
“I thought he (Lovren) was very, very good last week. I think it’s confidence. I felt – and I said it last year – in his second year he’ll be a better player here.
“It’s such a huge move to come to a club like this and it’s only when they’re in they recognise the expectations that are here.
“It was about trying to find that balance early on in pre-season. We’ve got excellent players here in Sakho, Kolo, but centre-halves will tell you it’s about finding that comfort with a partner, that partnership.
“And I thought the two centre-halves were very good last week and Dejan in particular where he’s aggressive, good in the air, his reading of the game was good and his passing was simple but effective.
“I think he’s gained confidence in pre-season and hopefully that will be maintained.”
Certainly Lovren was defensively sound alongside Martin Skrtel in the back-four against Stoke, but can he sustain an error free run of form, that very much remains to be seen.
Liverpool play newly-promoted Bournemouth this evening in what should be a home win for Rodger’s Liverpool team.
Lets hope Lovren and his team-mates deliver on that.