Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has been warned that his squad lacks the depth required to compete for success, with the futures of two key players hanging in the balance.

The Reds picked up a big three points when beating Brentford on Saturday, a victory that has seen them rise to fifth in the Premier League table.

However, a source has told Football Insider that he believes Liverpool’s lack of quality numbers will eventually pose big problems for Iraola.

“There are some major weaknesses in this Liverpool squad that I would be very worried about,” the source said.

“We’ve spoken about their need for a new right-back, that’s been covered, but it is a clear problem for them because of the injuries they’ve got in that position at the moment.

“Then when you look through the squad, there are concerns about players in pretty much every position, whether it’s to do with their performances or their futures.

“The goalkeeper, Alisson, will he stay? Will [Virgil] van Dijk stay? Is [Milos] Kerkez good enough? Those questions are all being asked about their defence.”

Iraola told Liverpool problems ‘will only get worse’

Iraola has also been told that Liverpool’s midfield options aren’t good enough to mount a challenge for the Premier League and Champions League titles.

The Spaniard has generally opted for a midfield of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, with Florian Wirtz playing further forward in the No 10 role.

Wirtz’s form has been inconsistent, and he has struggled to live up to the £116million transfer fee that saw him join from Bayer Leverkusen.

Alexis Mac Allister, meanwhile, has been heavily linked with moves away from Liverpool, with his current contract expiring in the summer of 2028.

“Then in midfield, do they have enough depth? I don’t think so, certainly not the quality you would want for a side challenging for the Premier League and Champions League,” the source continues.

Liverpool are also said to be looking at a new winger signing, despite the fact they splashed around £120million on Bradley Barcola over the summer.

“They want a new winger still because they didn’t do that, then their striker options haven’t been firing and you obviously have Ekitike on the sidelines long-term,” they added.

“A lot of their problems will only get worse if they suffer new injuries, especially in midfield and up front, because the players who are absent now have exposed them a bit.”