Liverpool's £40m transfer conundrum after Jamie Carragher's 'shocking' rant

Jamie Carragher was hugely critical of Liverpool's defensive display against Bournemouth and the Reds have been heavily linked with a £40million move for Marc Guehi

Liverpool's defence has been branded "absolutely shocking" after their first game of the new season, which saw the Reds dramatically beat Bournemouth 4-2. Liverpool went 2-0 up thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo, but surrendered their lead in the second half.

A brace from Antoine Semenyo made it 2-2 before late goals from Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah earned Liverpool all three points. Reds legend Jamie Carragher, though, was not happy with Liverpool's defensive display and felt Ibrahima Konate was at fault for both goals.

"It is unbelievable," Carragher said on Sky Sports. "It's fantastic from Semenyo - but Liverpool have had this problem. How many players were ahead of the ball - maybe eight players - when they were winning 2-1?

"That can't happen. It's absolutely shocking at this level. For Semenyo to run that far and get his shot away is incredible - but where Konate is going? He had a really, really poor night tonight at centre-back.

"That is not right. It's not. It's only game on top of the Community Shield - but I've watched enough football in my life. This idea that everyone bombs forward, it's not for me. I don't like it.

"At no time last week in the Community Shield did I ever feel Liverpool were in control of the game. You can draw 2-2 with Palace, that can happen. But it's how easy Crystal Palace could get at Liverpool, how easy it was tonight. In the first half, Bournemouth should have been at least 2-0 up at one stage."

Liverpool have already signed a new centre-back, spending £26million to bring in Giovanni Leoni from Parma, but their performance against Bournemouth and Konate's display could see them step up interest in Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.

Liverpool have held talks over a move for the England international and BBC Sport are reporting that Palace want around £40m for Guehi, with his contract due to expire next summer. And club captain Virgil van Dijk has admitted that signing a new defender would "accelerate" their improvement.

"You can say you have to accelerate it (improvement) but that is down to the market. We have to focus on what's here and now," Van Dijk said. "I think it (defensively) was much more improved than the last game but there is still work to do.

"The manager already said we are playing with a right-back (Jeremie Frimpong) who came from the Bundesliga, is 24 years old and is trying to get used to how we defend, we play with Milos (Kerkez) who is a very young full-back, very eager and full of energy, who is trying to get used to the way we play.

"It needs time, that's absolutely normal, but we also played without our six, Ryan Gravenberch, who missed out (with suspension). We have to keep working, that's the main thing, trying to keep clean sheets. We conceded two goals in a transition moment where we have to do better. That's what we have to work on."