The makeshift Liverpool solution that needs fixing

Three defeats in three have not quite got the alarm bells ringing at Anfield, though Liverpool clearly have a few problems.

Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah have not yet gelled as a unit. They look more like a group of ultra-talented individuals than a well-drilled team, and this must change if they are going to defend their title.

It is early days for the new signings - but the Premier League does not wait for you to be formally introduced, then get to know each other over a number of months.

‌During the live commentary on the BBC, I kept underlining the problem at right-back.

Jeremie Frimpong is a converted winger, not a specialist defender. Conor Bradley is a very talented attacking full-back, but Arne Slot had to sub him at the break because a second yellow card was imminent for the youngster. He needed some help but his winger, Salah, was not going to provide any by chasing back.

‌Dominik Szoboszlai is a wonderful midfielder - maybe Liverpool's best player this season so far - but his limitations as a full-back were cruelly exposed, both when I was there in Istanbul for the Galatasaray game midweek and in west London.

When he moved in there on Saturday, Chelsea got to his byline time and again. He was also guilty of switching off when crosses were coming in from the other wing. Specialist full-backs simply do not do that.

‌Szoboszlai created Liverpool's goal from that full-back area, underlining where his true strengths lie: attack. With so many brilliant specialist wingers in the league, a makeshift full-back is not going to cut it.

‌Unsurprisingly, the hosts' late winner came from an attack down that side.

Liverpool could not beat a Chelsea side that had their sixth and seventh-choice centre-backs playing by the end, underlining that an easy cruise to another title is very unlikely for the Reds.

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