Mo Salah has been called into question much more frequently this season than in previous campaigns, with the Liverpool forward not hitting the same heights that he’s reached in the past.
The Egyptian has managed only five goals so far this term, compared to 12 at the same stage a year ago, and Wayne Rooney has been among the most vocal critics of the 33-year-old.
The ex-Manchester United striker called out the ‘body language’ of the Reds’ number 11 after the defeat to Brentford in October; and in more recent weeks, he accused him of ‘not running’ and ‘not helping [LFC] defensively’, along with insistng that the winger should be dropped.
Wes Brown defends Salah amid criticism from elsewhere
However, Rooney’s former Old Trafford teammate Wes Brown challenged those allegiations of laziness and claimed that Salah hasn’t been helped by a reduced cohesion among the Liverpool line-up compared to previous years.
Speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football, the 46-year-old said: “Salah’s more comfortable playing when Liverpool are playing well. Salah’s attributes are not going to change; he’s still dangerous when he gets the ball at any time. He’s never really done all the running back anyway.
“At the same time, Liverpool just haven’t had the same possession or the same spaces going forward as they have done [before], because they’re not playing well as a team.
“Not everybody knows everyone yet, and it’s showing. Salah’s not getting the right ball at the right time, or he’s getting less of the ball, but to say that his quality’s not there is not on.”
Mo Salah has endured a frustrating season so far at Liverpool
(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
A fair argument from Brown, even if Salah has been below his best
It’s refreshing to hear such a cogent insight from Brown, rather than just spewing the same shock-value anaylsis as Rooney.
Salah had grown accustomed to linking up with Trent Alexander-Arnold along the right flank for Liverpool and, in past seasons, had formed a phenomenal chemistry with Bobby Firmino and Sadio Mane up front.
He hasn’t established the same on-field harmony with the likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak just yet, and the ever-changing situation at right-back hasn’t helped either.
That said, the 33-year-old is part of a collective effort and is expected to contribute the same endeavour out of possession as the rest of his teammates, and Slot showed that he isn’t playing favourites by dropping the Egyptian to the bench in the win at West Ham last Sunday.
That decision was vindicatd by the result in east London, although Brown is quite right in saying that Salah still has the quality to impact games in the final third for Liverpool, even if we haven’t seen that quite as regularly this season.
You can watch Slot’s full pre-Sunderland press conference below, via Empire of the Kop on YouTube: