Mohamed Salah used to carry Liverpool - now he resembles a weight around the team's neck following a startling loss of form since the start of the season
Mo Salah
Mohamed Salah has lost his mojo...and his place in the Liverpool starting 11
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There were murmurs of anticipation when Mohamed Salah entered the scene. Liverpool's clash with Sunderland remained goalless. It was the start of the second half, and the stage was set for Salah to ride to the rescue.
Instead, he ran down dead ends, failed to pick out colleagues with crosses, and looked what he has now become.
Someone who used to rule the roost at Anfield, but someone his club are now preparing for a life without him. As the game unfolded, Sunderland took the lead and appeared to be heading for a seismic win.
But it was Florian Wirtz, not Salah, who spared Liverpool another crushing defeat when his shot deflected into the back of the net with 10 minutes remaining.
It felt like a nod to the future. Because Wirtz will be huge part of it - and Salah won't be.
There was a feeling of resignation from home supporters each time Salah touched the ball. A familiar feeling the Egyptian king can no longer conjure magic when it's needed.
At times in recent years, Salah has carried Liverpool on his back. He has plundered countless goals, ripped defences to pieces and been the focal point of all the team's success.
But now he resembles a weight around the neck of Liverpool and manager Arne Slot. A problem Slot doesn't quite know to deal with.
Salah has been dropped for the last two games, for the first time in his Liverpool career. But Slot's decision to bench him is the equivalent of kicking the can down the road.
And Slot might just be relieved Salah is poised to leave for the African Cup of Nations. He will head to the tournament on December 15 - and could be gone for more than a month.
Salah has become a problem that Arne Slot is struggling to solve
Salah has become a problem that Arne Slot is struggling to solve
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There has even been speculation Salah could have kicked his last ball for the English champions. That he will engineer a move to Saudi Arabia in the next transfer window.
Salah will remain silent on his future. He's not one for speaking to the media on a regular basis, which has added to the feeling he has been brooding in silence these past few months.
But as a senior figure in the dressing room, he has a responsibility to stand up and face the criticism. His Liverpool legend is secure. But there is no escaping the fact his legacy is now in danger of being tarnished.
Because he is leaving Liverpool (albeit temporarily we think), with a whimper - and there is a growing section of supporters who won't miss him too much.