Wednesday 28 December 2016 18:54, UK
Jamie Carragher was impressed with Liverpool's performance in their victory over Stoke, although worries remain about the quality of their goalkeeper.
Liverpool closed the gap on leaders Chelsea to six points after coming from behind to beat Stoke 4-1 with Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino and Daniel Sturridge all getting on the scoresheet.
Giannelli Imbula also scored an own goal for Stoke, who had taken an early lead through Jonathan Walters.
"I think Liverpool were excellent," Carragher said.
"The Liverpool you would expect week-in week-out. Exciting, scoring goals, always threatening to score every time they attack. But Stoke I thought they were excellent that first 30 minutes and I think for Liverpool to go and win that game 4-1, on the back of the first 25-30 minutes is a great win for Liverpool."
The only sour note, according to Carragher, was the mistake made by Simon Mignolet for Walters' opening goal.
There has been much debate about who should be Liverpool's first-choice goalkeeper and questions will be asked again after Mignolet was beaten too easily at his near post by Walters, who met a near-post cross by Eric Pieters.
"The goalkeeper makes a mistake - he's got to save it," Carragher said.
"Liverpool have got a goalkeeping problem, it's not just one individual. The reason Loris Karius was brought in is because Jurgen Klopp didn't think Simon Mignolet was good enough - he's now gone back to him.
"Yes, you can say it's poor defensively but at times you want your keeper to bail you out when you make mistakes - that's what he's there for.
"I'm a centre-back myself and you don't play a game without making mistakes and that's where your keeper comes into it."
Carragher thinks Liverpool need to go out and buy a goalkeeper in January if they are to maintain their title challenge, with Joe Hart top of his list.
"If someone said to me: 'The window's open, you can get Joe Hart', you do it," he said.
"If I was Jurgen Klopp I would do it. It is a great chance that Liverpool have got at the moment - it may be different next year with European football coming in, managers have come into this country now with another year's experience.
"Antonio Conte's flying but you think of someone like Pep Guardiola and the investment the other teams are going to have.
"Jurgen Klopp's net spend - he's virtually spent nothing since he's come in so he's done a remarkable job. But in the position Liverpool are in, if they get a chance, they get a goalkeeper. They want Premier League titles."
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