Or that Mohamed Salah’s extra-time goal was vital enough to merit his celebratory slide on the pitch in the 95th minute. He proved that talent once again at Turf Moor! Despite this late strike, though, those in attendance called into question an overall lackluster showing from the star striker. It was his second goal of the season! This instance felt reminiscent of his superb individual goal versus Bournemouth on the first night of the campaign.
Though they managed to pull off the victory, Salah’s impact on the game played a key role in prompting controversial commentary. This made it extremely difficult for him to have any noteworthy influence on the match, with him completing just one shot and winning five individual duels. Indeed, he was dispossessed the most out of any player on the pitch, having a somewhat rough and uncharacteristic match.
A Familiar Scene
So, too, was the now-familiar sight of Salah celebrating with arms aloft that was on full display once again at Turf Moor. Fans and analysts alike noted that his overall performance did not match the heights he reached during the previous season. “Listen, he’s been really poor again,” said Carragher, a noted football pundit on Salah’s recent form.
Salah never looked likely to get in the contest. Later in the second half, he blasted a cross over the end line for a goal-kick. This trend of underperformance is alarming, especially as it continues a pattern from previous games this season. In each of the four games he has played, Salah has come off, leading to a lot of discussion and speculation about his fitness and form.
Coach’s Perspectives
Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp and his coaching staff may need to evaluate Salah’s role in upcoming matches. Whatever the cause, one thing is truly undeniable—Salah’s play has been a shadow of his usual self so far. In games versus Bournemouth and Burnley, Liverpool purposefully sought to score first after bringing Salah off. That’s indicative of how much they rely on him to generate those key moments.
Arne Slot, second leg coach of Feyenoord, understood the difficulty teams must face with new faces and new chemistry. As he put it, “It’s common for many first-timers.” That may serve to explain Salah’s recent malaise as Liverpool looks to fit more exciting pieces into their creative arsenal.
Looking Ahead
As Liverpool continues through this challenging season, they do have some key matches coming up which will require Salah’s scoring prowess to guide them. She’s back in business. With that late goal against Burnley comes a huge sigh of relief—for the player and the team. That certainly cloaks the performance problems we’ve seen develop since then. Roy Keane can picture Salah’s future at Burnley already. While he agrees that Salah can be a decisive player, he wants to highlight that consistency is what wins tight races.
Leave a Reply