Liverpool boss Arne Slot unconcerned by Mohamed Salah’s form

 

By Brian

Liverpool manager Arne Slot insists that “the last thing” he needs to worry about is Mohamed Salah’s form.

Salah finished last season as Liverpool’s top scorer with 29 goals and 18 assists as the Reds cruised to the Premier League title. But the 33-year-old has managed just three league goals so far this campaign, with Liverpool struggling to replicate their title-winning performances despite spending around £415 million on attacking reinforcements in the summer.

Following four consecutive defeats – including Sunday’s loss to Manchester United at Anfield – Slot left Salah on the bench for Wednesday’s 5-1 Champions League victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.

“The main thing is that he has always scored goals for Liverpool,” Slot told reporters on Friday. “The last thing I worry about is Mo scoring goals again. He’s done that his entire life, and I expect him to do that again in the upcoming weeks and months.”

Slot handed starts to new signings Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, and Florian Wirtz in Frankfurt, but Isak’s groin injury in the first half could see Salah restored to the starting line-up for Saturday’s trip to Brentford.

The Egyptian has now gone seven Premier League matches without scoring a non-penalty goal – his longest drought since joining Liverpool in 2017.

“In general, players miss chances – he’s a human being. We’re just not used to seeing him miss,” Slot said.

The Liverpool manager suggested that a reshaped squad and the departure of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid may be factors in Salah’s slow start.

“It could be a factor [not having Alexander-Arnold], as Mo played his entire Liverpool career with him until this season,” Slot explained. “But he’s still been in promising positions to score.

“In general, with quite a few changes in the squad over the summer, everyone needs time to build new connections. It might have something to do with that.”