MY ACCOUNT
Having built a reputation for being the Premier League’s deadliest marksman, Mohamed Salah has found himself overshadowed this season.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has blown the opposition away in the race for the Golden Boot, while Harry Kane has also been in excellent goalscoring form for Tottenham.
Salah only has seven strikes in 15 Premier League outings this term — the same tally as the likes of Leicester’s James Maddison and Brighton’s Leandro Trossard — but two goals in two games on the Egyptian’s return to action has given cause for optimism.
Ahead of Liverpool’s Friday night clash with Leicester, we take a closer look at the Reds’ main man.
AFCON heartbreak
Salah’s loss of form can be traced back to his involvement at the rescheduled Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.
He had started the 2021-22 season in typically deadly form with his goal against Chelsea prior to departing for AFCON his 16th Premier League strike of the campaign.
Egypt reached the final of the tournament in Cameroon, where they lost on penalties to Salah’s then Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane and his Senegal team.
Upon returning to Merseyside, Salah only scored seven league goals — a marked contrast to his form before the continental showpiece.
Readjustment period
Salah’s relative lack of potency has carried on into this season and is one of a number of troubling issues at Liverpool.
For many years, Jurgen Klopp’s side had a perfectly functioning front three of Salah, Mane and Roberto Firmino.
As Firmino’s abilities have waned and Mane allowed to join Bayern Munich last summer, a raft of new attackers have been brought in.
First Diogo Jota was introduced, then Luis Diaz last season. Darwin Nunez was purchased in June and now Cody Gakpo will join the ranks.
From having a settled attacking trio, Salah now lines up with a range of differing colleagues from game to game. It can take time for new relationships to develop and the loss of Mane in particular, was always going to see a period of readjustment.
There are problems elsewhere in the team too. The midfield is ageing and needs a revamp, while Liverpool’s defence does not look remotely as secure as has been the case in recent years.
So to expect Salah to perform at the same level, during a period of overall decline and change, is perhaps unrealistic.
World Cup break
Though it would have been a personal disappointment for Salah to have not played in the recent World Cup in Qatar, all involved at Liverpool will have been pleased that Egypt failed to qualify.
It afforded Salah a well-earned break, that could result in an upturn in form for the rest of the season.
With this being such a unique situation, no one really knows the impact the World Cup will have on players as the season goes on, or whether there will be a big advantage for those that did not play.
Yet common sense tells you that a hiatus can have only been a good thing for Salah, who was in something of a rut. Aside from the physical demands of being Liverpool’s attacking talisman, there is the mental pressure.
With 172 goals in 277 games since joining the Merseysiders, Salah was never a player that was likely to be given much rest by Klopp and he has had to carry the burden of being the focal point for both club and country.
Champions League tally
Salah signed a new contract at the club in the summer. Perhaps in different circumstances, Liverpool might have looked to have cashed in, but with Mane leaving and European clubs generally short of money, a new deal was a straightforward decision.
Despite his recent issues in the Premier League, Salah’s overall record this season suggests that he is still playing at a very high level.
He has scored 16 goals in 23 appearances across all competitions, which includes seven strikes in the Champions League group stage.
Salah is on course to eclipse his total of 31 goals in 51 games, which he recorded in both of the last two seasons. His performances since the English season returned are encouraging in that regard.
Since Liverpool have been back in action, he has scored in the Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester City and then in the Premier League victory at Aston Villa.
The arrival of Gakpo, who recorded 17 assists for PSV Eindhoven this season, could help Salah to continue that form.
Liverpool still have a lot of problems to iron out over the remainder of the season, but with Salah returning as a rejuvenated figure, it will certainly help to mask them.
