Mohamed Salah failed to live up to his billing during yet another Liverpool defeat on Wednesday.
The Egyptian King has looked anything but regal so far this season, disappearing in the big moments when the Reds have desperately needed him.
Like Arne Slot, Salah has enormous credit in the bank, far more than his manager in fact, and given his form during last season especially, Liverpool fans have been quick to defend his lack of output in 2025/26.
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Who was Liverpool’s worst player against PSV Eindhoven?
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool handles the ball which later leads to a penalty to PSV Eindhoven during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Liverpool FC and PSV Eindhoven at Anfield
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
However, with the Reds struggling badly they have needed their big players to step up. In that context, Salah is nowhere to be seen.
According to former Liverpool player Dietmar Hamann, the 33-year-old was worse than that on Wednesday. After watching his old club lose 4-1 against PSV Eindhoven, Hamann branded Salah’s performance as ‘disgraceful.’
Mohamed Salah looks dejected during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
Photo by Alex Livesey – Danehouse/Getty Images
Arne Slot must drop Mohamed Salah – Dietmar Hamann
All season long, Salah has looked like he is potentially holding Liverpool back from progressing to their next phase.
Slot clearly wants to play a forward line with both Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak, but his legendary right winger is preventing that from happening effectively.
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Salah’s lack of defensive work has regularly been a stick to beat him with, but that hardly matters when he is scoring goals and winning Liverpool games.
Now that that has dried up, Hamann says there is little use him being in the team, with one moment in particular standing out for all the wrong reasons on Wednesday.
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“There comes a point where you’ve got to drop players, even big players,” the German told RTE Sport. “I thought Salah might be one of the first ones to be dropped. He’s got a decision to make, do you get the sack with Salah or you keep your job without him? This is the decision he’s got to make.
“He gave him [Salah] a chance, but I think it’ll be a different story on Sunday. What Salah did for the second PSV goal, I think Slot had one chance there to take him off straight away, because what he did there was disgraceful. For a player the calibre of Salah, and it pains me to say because he’s been the guy carrying the team for the last seven or eight years, but the way he let the player, Mauro Junior, go past him without doing anything.”
Salah’s time at Liverpool is ending with a whimper
Given all he has done for the club during his eight years at Anfield, you can understand why fans are reticent to write Salah off.
However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Egypt captain is entering the final throes of his time with Liverpool.
Appearances Goals Assists
Mohamed Salah 25/26 18 5 3
Looking back, perhaps the right thing to do would have been for everyone to shake hands and part ways on the highest of highs last summer. Instead, things have been allowed to turn sour.
Slot does indeed need to make a decision over Salah. Liverpool are effectively playing with 10 men with him on the field at the moment.
The No. 11 will soon travel away for AFCON, and it will be fascinating to see how Liverpool get on in his absence. If they turn things around without Salah in the team, it will add to the feeling that his Reds career is drawing to a natural, underwhelming close.
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