5 things Liverpool got wrong in 2017

#2 The sale of Mamadou Sakho to Crystal Palace

Did Liverpool make a mistake in selling Mamadou Sakho?

On the face of it, the sale of Mamadou Sakho to Crystal Palace made all the sense in the world. The French defender’s face had never quite fit well with Klopp since his suspension for a positive test for a banned substance in 2015/16, and after he was sent home during Liverpool’s pre-season tour in 2016, it was clear his days were numbered. And so he was sent on loan to Crystal Palace, where he performed excellently over the three months he was there, becoming a crowd favourite and helping the club to avoid relegation.

Liverpool also received a hefty fee of £24m for the Frenchman. But realistically, are they any better off without him? Sure, Klopp might not have liked his attitude, but particularly after missing out on Virgil van Dijk, it’s clear that Liverpool are crying out for a top-class central defender, and they may have had the man who fit that bill already on their books in the form of Sakho. He’s essentially been an ever-present since his move to Palace, under three different managers, and while the club have struggled he’s generally performed well.

Liverpool meanwhile have leaked 20 league goals thus far – level with Arsenal but far more than any other team currently in the top six. They’ve only lost two games, but those defeats were thumpings at the hands of Tottenham and Man City, and Liverpool’s defence has looked vulnerable in almost every fixture, with all three of their central defenders – Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan – coming under criticism.

Had Klopp been able to bury the hatchet with Sakho, then perhaps Liverpool’s defence would look far stronger right now – even without Van Dijk.