The Egyptian just hasn't looked like his usual brilliant self since returning from injury, but his team needs him at his best at Goodison Park
Some of the most memorable moments of Jurgen Klopp’s sensational spell as Liverpool manager have come in European competition, so it was jarring to see his final continental campaign end with a whimper. It just didn’t feel right. The narrative was all wrong. Win or lose, a stellar showdown in Dublin – rather than a lame last-eight exit in Bergamo – would have made for a far more fitting finale.
Mohamed Salah copped plenty of criticism for his role in Liverpool’s tame Europa League elimination. The Egyptian had given Liverpool the lead just seven minutes into the second leg of their quarter-final clash with Atalanta, but he had also wasted a glorious chance to really breathe new life into a tie that the Italians appeared to have killed off at Anfield. For many observers, Salah rather personified the lethargic Liverpool we have seen in recent weeks, but Klopp unsurprisingly jumped to the defence of a man that has rescued the Reds on so many occasions over the past few years.
“I’m not particularly concerned,” he told reporters. “That’s what strikers do. We have to go through it, he has to go through it. He is one of the most experienced players in the squad. It’s not that Mo didn’t miss chances before in his life, that’s part of the game… I won’t make a big story of it.”
But Salah's slump is now a major a talking point, as there is a very real risk that Liverpool's Premier League title tilt could end as meekly as their Europa League bid.
Getty Running out of steam?
Liverpool find themselves in a very peculiar predicament. They weren’t expected to challenge for the Premier League title when the season began – and yet now it would feel like a major letdown if they don’t win it. Klopp’s imminent exit is the main reason why, of course. From the moment the beloved Liverpool manager announced his shock decision to step down at the end of the season, the question on every fan’s lips was whether the German's remarkable reign would end on a high.
The Carabao Cup represented the best possible start to the swansong, with Klopp rating it as “the most special” success of his career because of the circumstances surrounding the game, with the injury-ravaged Reds beating Chelsea thanks in no small part to the contribution of an exciting crop of kids. It was obvious that evening at Wembley that no matter how the remainder of the campaign unfolded, Klopp would leave Liverpool in rude health.
However, everyone connected with the club was still hoping for a fairy-tale farewell. They were desperate for Klopp to bow out by winning the second Premier League title he so richly deserves. The dream could yet become reality, too, with Liverpool locked in a three-way battle at the top of the table with Arsenal and Manchester City. Much, though, will depend on Salah, the other Liverpool legend who could well quit the club this summer.
Just like Klopp, Salah's legacy is already secure. Whenever he leaves Anfield, he will do so as a Kop icon and a Premier League legend. But the fear ahead of Wednesday’s Merseyside derby is that he, just like Klopp’s Liverpool, is running out of steam at the worst possible moment.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesGlorious return
When Liverpool played Brentford on February 17, they lost both Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones to first-half injuries. Both were big blows – because both were in fine form. However, the eagerly-awaited return of Salah still felt like the bigger story, as it appeared as if he'd never been away.
The winger had been in sensational form before heading off to represent Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations at the start of January, involved in 26 goals in all competitions – second only to Harry Kane (33) across Europe's 'Big Five' leagues.
However, he picked up a hamstring problem in the Ivory Coast that saw him miss a number of crucial Premier League clashes, including the 3-1 loss at Arsenal, as well as the Carabao Cup final. Liverpool coped impressively well without their most prolific Premier League player ever – Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Jota really stepped up to the mark in his absence – but his comeback nonetheless felt like a monumental boost to the Reds' title bid.
In just 46 minutes of action at Brentford, he scored one goal and created another. With Salah in this kind of form, it really did feel like anything was possible for a team still chasing a quadruple at the time.
Getty ImagesClearly struggling
However, Salah suffered a setback immediately after his hugely encouraging cameo at the Gtech Community Stadium, ruling him out of Liverpool's next two games – and he just hasn't looked the same player since.
There have been flashes of his genius – for example, the defence-splitting pass for Diaz that really should have led to Liverpool beating Manchester City at Anfield – while his goals have effectively earned his team three precious points. There was the calm finish that turned a draw into a victory against Brighton, as well as the late leveller from the penalty spot at Manchester United the following weekend.
It's also worth pointing out that he's been involved in 10 goals since his return – as many as Vinicius Jr, and just two fewer than Kylian Mbappe. One could, thus, easily argue that he's a victim of his own incredibly high standards – but there is simply no disguising the fact that Salah is struggling at the moment. And Klopp knows it.
GettyRight to sub Salah
On the evening of April 4, Anfield bore witness to a very rare occurrence. With Liverpool being held in a must-win meeting with Sheffield United, Klopp decided to substitute Salah. The hosts were in a dire need of a goal and yet the manager took off his talisman.
Tellingly, though, there was no fan fury. What would have normally felt like folly actually made perfect sense to those in attendance. Unlike the Brighton game, when Salah had squandered chance after chance before his late winner, he had been largely anonymous.
It was a similar story against Atalanta last week. Salah opened the scoring from the spot just seven minutes into the game in Bergamo, but then completely disappeared after wasting a glorious chance to double Liverpool's lead on the night after being put straight through on goal by Cody Gakpo.
There were still 24 minutes to go, more than enough time for the Reds to drag themselves back into the Europa League quarter-final tie, when Klopp decided to sub Salah. Again, it was the right call. Just like Liverpool, he got worse the longer the game went on.
There were those that argued that Klopp realised the game was up and thought it best to save Salah for Sunday's clash with Fulham. They were wrong, though.
