Liverpool face being without first-choice goalkeeper Alisson for up to six weeks and Reds legend John Barnes is “not convinced Adrian is the man for the job” when it comes to providing cover.
The reigning Premier League champions have little choice but to line up with a Spanish shot-stopper between the sticks.
With Alisson sidelined through injury, Jurgen Klopp is having to put faith in his most experienced back-up option.
It is not the first time that Adrian has had to step in, with an immediate opportunity opening up for him following his arrival at Anfield as a free agent in 2019.
At 33 years of age he is a seasoned performer, but mistakes are an unfortunate part of his make-up and Barnes feels he falls short of the required standard at Liverpool.
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The Reds icon told BonusCodeBets: “I think in terms of a number two goalkeeper, Adrian came in last year and did quite well when he arrived but considering he was taken on as a back-up whereas now, with Alisson injured, Liverpool is looking for someone to come in for three to four months, judging by previous performances, I’m not convinced Adrian is the man for the job.
“The [7-2] loss against Aston Villa was hard and not only would it have knocked Adrian’s confidence but it’d also have put doubt in players’ minds if he has what it takes to help win games - at this level. At the end of the day, he was a free transfer, which at times, says something about a player.”
Klopp is going to have to make do for now, with inexperienced youngsters completing his goalkeeping crop, with another unfortunate spell on the treatment table for Alisson further underlining just how important the South American has become for the Reds.
Barnes added: “Of course, Alisson is just as important as Virgil van Dijk and there’s no doubt that his absence will hurt Liverpool a lot. The question is just how much damage it’ll do.
“Alisson is an incredible goalkeeper so we’re looking at massive shoes to fill, which is a problem, which became very obvious over the weekend.
“But with Alisson it’s also psychological in knowing that you have him there. Players trust him and he provides the team with a lot of stability and I think they’ll struggle to find that in a back-up goalkeeper.
“And considering what happened against Villa, many have lost faith in Adrian, which is an issue so it’ll be interesting to see what happens in the next few weeks.”
Liverpool will return to action on October 17 with a derby date against Merseyside neighbours Everton, with that contest presenting them with a chance to shake a humbling reversal against Villa from their system.