Liverpool have moved to address their defensive injury problems by signing centre-back Steven Caulker on loan from Queens Park Rangers, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday.

Caulker, 24 and capped once by England, could make his debut in Wednesday's home game against league leaders Arsenal.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp moved to bring Caulker in after hamstring injuries to Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren left him short in central defence.

"We looked for Premier League experience because in this short time, you need that experience," Klopp told the Liverpool website.

"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.

"If they play long balls, you need people in the last line who can help you with headers and we've found it with Steven Caulker.

"He was not in the best situation in Southampton, didn't play too much, but this is January and we want to have the best solution for us and we are absolutely convinced that Steven is the best solution for us."

While Skrtel and Lovren remain sidelined, Kolo Toure and Mamadou Sakho have recovered from cramp and knee problems respectively, so Caulker may be on the bench against Arsenal.

Formerly with Tottenham Hotspur, Caulker had been on loan at Southampton and appeared in the south coast club's crushing 6-1 defeat at Liverpool's hands in last month's League Cup quarter-finals.
Source: AFP