Ben White showed Liverpool a taste of what could have been at Anfield

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Liverpool lost to Brighton in midweek as Graham Potter’s tactical masterplan worked to perfection to nick a 1-0 victory at Anfield.

Potter set his team up perfectly. Built on the sold back three of Adam Webster, Lewis Dunk, and Ben White, the Seagulls nullified all the threat Liverpool had and fully deserved their win. In fact, it probably could have been more than 1-0 as well, and few Reds fans would have been able to complain.

Among that back three was a player who Liverpool have already tracked. Ben White, linked with a £50m move to Anfield a few months back, showed again just why he’s so highly-rated in the Premier League.

After being so impressive for Leeds last season, White has stepped up this term for Brighton. And it’s not just in defence, either. White has played as a full-back and also a deep midfielder, displaying the sort of versatility and quality that has obviously caught Klopp’s eye.

What might have been

Of course, we all know Liverpool have had their defensive struggles and have had to act. Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies have both signed loan deals, hoping to plug the gap left by Van Djik, Matip, and Gomez.

And while those two might do well in the famous red jersey, seeing the quality White had in full view this week will have been hard to stomach for some Liverpool fans.

White left most of the clearances and tackling to his partners. Indeed, per Whoscored, it was Webster and Dunk who blocked shots and got rid of the ball, with 13 clearances and three blocked shots between them. White, on the other hand, had just a single clearance.

But beyond thos basic stats, anyone who watched White will have been impressed. He strode out with the ball, used it well, and showed composure beyond his years against some of the league’s best forwards.

Liverpool might have sorted their defensive problems for the very short-term. However, seeing White at Anfield this week might just have convinced them to act again when the summer rolls around.