Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp signed centre half Steven Caulker on loan until the end of the season from Championship side Queens Park Rangers in a bid to ease his defensive crisis.

Yet, the former Tottenham Hotspur graduate has bizarrely only featured up-front for the German boss since joining the Anfield outfit on January 12.

With Liverpool searching for a goal in their home Premier League matches with Arsenal and Manchester United, respectively, Klopp introduced Caulker late on and utilised the 6ft 3in 24-year-old as a target man.

Steven Caulker (centre) goes up for a header with Manchester United's Chris Smalling (right) on Sunday

The former Tottenham graduate was introduced in the 90th minute having replaced James Milner (left)

Jurgen Klopp signed centre half Caulker, seen here passing before the United game, on loan on January 12

When Caulker cut his loan short at Southampton to sign for Liverpool, the Reds chief said of Caulker: 'We looked for Premier League experience because in this short time, you need that experience.

'We looked for a good header [of the ball] because that's what we need – we want to play good pressing, we want to press the opponent and so they have to play long balls,' he added.

'If they play long balls, you need people in the last line who can help you with headers.'

However, in a move which puts Klopp's famous gegenpressing tactics in the shade, Caulker's arrival and employment as a makeshift striker has perhaps signalled a growing desperation at Liverpool.

It has to be said that after Caulker was brought on in the 88th minute for his debut against Arsene Wenger's visiting Gunners, midfield team-mate Joe Allen fired home in injury time to equalise and earn his side a 3-3 draw.

But against United, Caulker was introduced even later (in the 90th minute) to no avail, having replaced James Milner - the Red Devils took all three points through an emphatic 78th minute Wayne Rooney strike.

Caulker's average position against Arsenal (left) and versus United (right) is particularly telling

Klopp (left) hugs Red Devils skipper Wayne Rooney who smashed home a 78th minute half-volley winner

Caulker sprints for the ball after coming on for his Liverpool debut in the 88th minute against Arsenal

Thus, instead of using Caulker to head clear from his own box, Klopp's exploitation of the one-cap England international as a centre forward to which the ball should be launched long to, seems to suggest that Liverpool are the team being pressed into long balls, rather than the other way around.

While Caulker's curious start to life in Merseyside is almost certainly not representative of how he will be used for the remainder of the season, his brief two appearances go some way to emphasising Klopp's struggles.

Liverpool have won just two of their past six Premier League matches, and picked up just one point from their past three league games, with supporters struggling to see any discernible upturn in since Brendan Rodgers' dismissal.

With his side currently lying in a disappointing ninth position in the league table, Klopp is now hoping to beat Exeter City in an FA Cup replay at Anfield on Wednesday night, before taking on Norwich City on Saturday at Carrow Road, as he looks to jump-start Liverpool's league campaign.

Caulker's Heat Map against United: The former Tottenham Hotspur man was utilised as a target man

Caulker's Heat Map against Arsenal: The 24-year-old came on to defend a set piece before bombing forward