Arne Slot made the bold decision to start Mohamed Salah on the bench for Liverpool’s visit to West Ham United on Sunday afternoon. Salah’s form this term has been a shadow of his past brilliance, tallying a mere four goals and two assists in the Premier League thus far, a stark contrast to his staggering 29 goals and 18 assists in the 2024/25 season. Last campaign, he was instrumental as Liverpool stormed to the title, but his dip in form this year has been a factor in the club’s slide down the table to 12th position ahead of matchday 13.
Under Slot’s tutelage, the Reds have found themselves in a precarious position. While they lead the possession stats with 61.4% per game, they have conceded 20 goals to their 18 scored and have yet to earn a point when conceding first this season. Such performances have ramped up expectations for changes in the squad, with key players like Ibrahima Konate, Alexis Mac Allister, Virgil van Dijk, and Milos Kerkez facing criticism alongside Salah.
Against West Ham, Salah takes a place on the bench, a decision echoed by former Everton defender Phil Jagielka, who noted the Egyptian’s tendency to drift out of games at times despite his phenomenal past stats. Slot, who also sees Joe Gomez return to the lineup as Dominik Szoboszlai shifts to the No.10 role, stated: “We have four games in ten days. It’s not an easy call, but these decisions aren’t entirely unprecedented.”
Slot’s tactical shakeup might serve as the wake-up call Salah needs to reignite his season. Last term, Liverpool cruised to a 5-0 victory in the same fixture under differing circumstances, with Salah bagging a goal and assisting two. This season, however, five consecutive losses in London have dented their confidence—recent defeats to Crystal Palace, Chelsea, and Brentford this season following similar misfortune against Chelsea and Fulham last season have compounded their woes.
As the Reds look to regain their footing, it appears Salah’s drop to the substitutes’ bench could either spur him back to his scintillating best or raise further questions about his future impact in the side. Meanwhile, all eyes will be on Slot as Liverpool navigates this tumultuous period, with hopes pinned on an upturn in their fortunes.
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