The latest Liverpool news as the Reds are told they have a new issue on their hands in the absence of Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah during Egypt's Africa Cup of Nations match against Angola
Mohamed Salah during Egypt's Africa Cup of Nations match against Angola
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Liverpool will look to extend their unbeaten run when they take on Fulham on Sunday afternoon. The Reds have not lost a league game since the end of November.
However, they were held to a goalless draw with Leeds United at Anfield on New Year's Day. The Reds' performance against Daniel Farke's side has been slated for lacking in creativity with Arne Slot's outfit having just four shots on target.
With the January transfer window now open, attention has naturally pivoted to the market, where Liverpool have been linked with several high-profile moves.
However, today's Liverpool news sees one former star challenge an out of favour Reds star to make an impact on Arne Slot while another Reds Icon has identified a huge Mohamed Salah problem that's emerged for Slot.
Harvey Elliott told to make decision
Former Liverpool midfielder David Thompson has advised Harvey Elliott to return to Anfield this month. Elliott's loan at Aston Villa has been nothing short of a disaster after he made the temporary switch on transfer deadline day.
If the 22-year-old were to make 10 appearances, Villa would activate a £35 million purchase clause. However, Villa boss Unai Emery confirmed in a press conference that Villa decided "months ago" not to sign Elliott permanently.
Elliott's last appearance for Villa was a brief four-minute stint against Feyenoord in the Europa League on October 2. Thompson believes Elliott should come back in a bid to fight for his place at Anfield.
"I think they should rip up the contract, the agreement with Villa and go back and play," Thompson said on No Tippy Tappy Football.
Harvey Elliott of Aston Villa arrives at the stadium prior to the UEFA Europa League match against Feyenoord
Harvey Elliott has endured a difficult spell at Aston Villa(Image: Photo by Lars Baron - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
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"Because ultimately he only left because he wanted to prove himself and try and get in the World Cup squad. But it has not worked out so I think he is caught between the devil and deep blue sea as well because he can not play for three clubs in one season. He needs to go back to Liverpool."
It has been widely reported that Elliott's loan deal contains no recall clause, meaning if the midfielder is to return to Anfield this month, the arrangement would likely need to be terminated entirely, potentially carrying financial consequences for both clubs.
Elliott is also prevented from joining another club on loan due to having featured for both the Reds and Villa this season. FIFA regulations state that players cannot represent more than two clubs in any one campaign, which means a league operating on a different calendar, such as the MLS, is Elliott's only transfer destination this month.
Michael Owen identifies Mo Salah problem
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has hit out at the lack of creativity from Liverpool and believes the club need Mo Salah.
Slot's side's total of 30 goals scored so far is their worst at this stage of the season for 10 years, when Jurgen Klopp was just a couple of months into his tenure as Reds boss.
Salah, the Reds' top scorer of the last eight seasons, is currently with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The Egyptian also had a falling out with Slot prior to his trip to AFCON leading him to being benched.
While any disagreement between manager and player looks to have been settled for the meantime, Salah's long-term future at Liverpool still remains uncertain. Owen is of the opinion that without Salah, Liverpool look toothless in attack, warning those who believe the forward should be sold, be it in January or the summer.
Owen said: "Sometimes it’s not only tactical – sometimes it’s just an attitude thing, an urgency, a desire. I did think late on in the [Leeds] game they weren’t playing wide enough.
Mo Salah
Salah's Liverpool future remains up in the air
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"Federico Chiesa came on and he didn’t really know where he was standing. Cody Gakpo came on but so did Rio Ngumoha, and they were tripping over themselves standing in the same position. Conor Bradley, normally an attacking threat down the right side, I thought that was one of his worst games.
"There was just no creativity. I said to Macca (Steve McManaman) before the game that I like the balance of Liverpool’s team, but I don’t really see many goalscorers. Normally, you see a Mohamed Salah and a Hugo Ekitike and an Alexander Isak and a Gakpo, and you think there are goals among those."
He concluded: "Look at that team today and Florian Wirtz is struggling for goals and for performances, and you’ve got a right wing-back (Jeremie Frimpong) playing in place of Mo Salah at the moment. It just shows you people saying Salah should have been dropped or sold – I mean, that’s them without Mo Salah."
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