"The best one at the moment" - John Barnes names the centre-back partnership he wants at Liverpool

Liverpool legend John Barnes is of the view that Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip are the Reds' best center-back pairing at the moment.

Liverpool have made a poor start to their 2022-23 season, drawing three and losing one of their six Premier League matches so far. They currently find themselves sitting eighth in the table with nine points.

The Reds have conceded 12 goals in their nine games across all competitions and have kept just two clean sheets. Substandard defending has been cited as one of the main reasons for their underwhelming start to the campaign.

However, Liverpool have notably had injury concerns at the back, with Van Dijk being the only player to start all their games. Matip returned from injury just before the international break and Ibrahima Konate is yet to play this term, while Joe Gomez has struggled for form.

Jurgen Klopp, though, will have all four center-backs available when his team face Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday (October 1). Matip marked his first start since returning from injury with a goal in the team's 2-1 win against Ajax, while Konate returned to full training this week.

Assessing Liverpool's center-back options, Barnes insisted that Van Dijk should be a sure-shot starter for the team. While the Reds great is an admirer of both Konate and Gomez, he feels Matip is the ideal partner for the Dutchman as things stand. He told Bonus Bet Codes:

“I think if you look at Van Dijk and Konate but Matip has been doing so well that they probably are the ones who have it. So it’s Van Dijk and Konate, Van Dijk and Matip or Van Dijk and Gomez.”

“But at the moment because of Gomez’s injuries and situation, I think you look at either Van Dijk and Konate or Van Dijk and Matip. I think because they’ve played for so long together that’s probably the best one at the moment – Van Dijk and Matip.”

It remains to be seen which two central defenders will start for Klopp's side against Brighton on Saturday.

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How have the four defenders fared for Liverpool?

Van Dijk has been a key player for the Reds since joining them from Southampton for £75 million in 2018. He has played 190 matches in all competitions for the side, helping them win seven trophies along the way.

Matip has been on the Merseyside outfit's books since 2016 when he joined them on a free transfer from Schalke. While injuries have often halted his progress at Anfield, he has made 171 appearances across all competitions.

Liverpool forked out a sum of £36 million to sign Konate from RB Leipzig last year. He played 29 games in his first season with the Premier League giants, contributing to four goals in the process.

Gomez, who joined the Anfield outfit before Klopp's arrival in 2015, has struggled with injuries in the last seven years. He has thus been restricted to 148 appearances for the club.