Arne Slot says the last thing he is worried about right now is the form of off-colour Mohamed Salah – and the Liverpool boss has backed his talisman to return to his best soon.
The champions go to Brentford on Saturday with the Egyptian on a six-match run without a goal – they are also sweating on the fitness of £125million man Alexander Isak – and Salah has been out of sorts so far this season.
He registered 57 goals and assists in an outstanding campaign last year but has managed just six so far this term, which is one of many reasons for the champions’ recent form in the last month with four defeats in their recent five games.
The 33-year-old last went seven matches without a goal in 2022, though his bad run is limited to his club as he scored two for Egypt in Djibouti in the recent international break.
Slot is not worrying – even despite Jamie Carragher’s recent criticism of Salah – and the boss said: ‘The main thing is that Mo has always scored goals for our club and the last thing I worry about is Mo starting to score goals again.
‘Because that is what he has done his whole life and that is what I expect him to do in the upcoming weeks and months for our club as well.’
Arne Slot insists he is not worried about Mohamed Salah’s slump after a tricky start
Salah has registered just six goals and assists so far this season, compared to 57 last time out
Asked why he is not converting his chances, Slot added: ‘I don’t know if it’s sharpness or not. It’s so difficult for me to say why this is – I could come up with a few reasons which I’m not sure that is the reason.
‘In general, football players miss chances and Mo is a human being as well. We are not used to him missing chances, let alone a few in a row, but these things can happen. What could have to do with it, is maybe it’s easier to finish a chance if you are 3-1 up than if you are 1-0 down.
‘Maybe his whole Liverpool career he played with Trent (Alexander-Arnold, who left in the summer). He has been in promising positions often enough for him to score goals, but maybe with Trent even more – I don’t know.
‘But in general for every player, if you have quite a few changes in your squad during the summer then everyone has to find new connections again and that goes normally like this a little bit (makes wave motion with his hand).
‘Mo is not an exception to this as he is also a human being like all the others. It might have something to do with that.’
Isak is up against it to be fit to play against Brentford on Saturday, with right back Jeremie Frimpong ruled out. Ryan Gravenberch is hopeful of being OK after missing Wednesday’s trip to Frankfurt and was expected to train on Friday. Goalkeeper Alisson remains on the sidelines.
Slot’s comments come after Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher said he must drop the club’s 33-year-old talisman.
The former Reds defender said the Egyptian forward, once untouchable in Liverpool’s attack, must now be managed carefully as his influence fades.
Carragher has called on Slot to reduce Salah’s game time in a bid to get the most out of him
‘It’s a real conundrum for the manager and what he’ll do. It’s interesting that he brought him off,’ Carragher told Sky Sports after Liverpool’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United.
‘Jurgen Klopp used to bring him off a lot, that shows you in years gone by Mo Salah could have a poor game and be brought off even if he had a bit of extra energy and sharpness.
‘We’re at a stage now with Mo Salah where he shouldn’t be playing every game, it shouldn’t be a case of ‘he’s the first name on the team sheet’.
‘It should be a case of ‘yes, he’s in your best team, he plays home games’, but maybe you have to think about Liverpool have two away games, one in Europe, one at Brentford – I don’t think he plays in both of them.
‘We’re at that stage now where Mo Salah shouldn’t be a guaranteed starter next week.’
