Dejan Lovren's Liverpool future in doubt as teammates lose faith in defender after dismal start

The Croatian has lost his regular place in Brendan Rodgers' defence, and is likely to be back on the bench at Old Trafford

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Expense: Dejan Lovren is still to justify his £20million transfer fee

Dejan Lovren faces an uncertain future at Liverpool - just six months after his £20million arrival.
The Croatian centre-back has lost his regular place and the confidence of some team-mates who feel he is a weak link.
Lovren started in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw against Basel, a result that saw Liverpool knocked out of the Champions League, but is expected to be missing when Liverpool visit Manchester United.
Lovren is likely to be back on the bench with Kolo Toure - voted the club’s Player of the Month for November - available again after injury.
Lovren’s start against Basel was his first since Liverpool’s shambolic 3-1 defeat at Crystal Palace on November 23.
In pictures: Liverpool train ahead of Old Trafford showdown

Following his display in that game he was dropped for the next four matches, coming off the bench in the closing minutes against Stoke and Leicester.
Lovren is understood to be privately insistent that he is not receiving enough protection from midfield.
His critics, however, are unimpressed and insist he has struggled to cope with the pressure of making the step up from playing for Southampton last season.
Meanwhile Brendan Rodgers claims there is nobody better to get Liverpool out their current slump.
In pictures: Liverpool 1-1 Basel

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard crouches on the pitch after the final whistle as Liverpool go out of the tournament — VIEW GALLERY

He said: “I think the message for me is clear, I don’t think there would be anyone better to do the job here.
“I certainly don’t doubt myself, I know exactly where we are at and what we would need.
“This has been a difficult start with new players, less coaching time, young players, virtually starting again. But I don’t think there is anybody equipped better to deal with that.”
He added: “Criticism comes with the territory when you don’t win games, football is very short term.
“It’s something as a manager or a coach or a player it pulls you together and makes you fight even harder. So it certainly doesn’t make me doubt anything about myself.
Liverpool could also miss out on teen target Martin Odegaard after Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge declared his interest in signing the Norwegian wonderkid.