Mohamed Salah should be back at Liverpool next week, and his presence back in the side will be welcome.
Liverpool need to score more goals and kill off these games that are ending all even.
If anyone can hit a vein of goalscoring form, it’s Salah.
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A lot happened before AFCON and it’s all still somewhat up in the air, but his return could be huge for one teammate in particular.
What’s Liverpool’s best front three now that Salah’s back?
With Florian Wirtz in the 10 🔥
Mohamed Salah pictured in Liverpool training with Arne Slot in the background.
Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images
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Hugo Ekitike will benefit from Mo Salah in the team
Of all the new faces at Liverpool, Hugo Ekitike was the quickest to settle in and start performing.
Ekitike’s Liverpool numbers are historic for a new signing and no one is complaining about what he has done so far in a Liverpool shirt.
Against Burnley, though, he touched the ball just 38 times and was isolated at striker. That’s not the Frenchman’s game.
Hugo Ekitike tugs at his shorts in frustration after seeing his goal ruled out for offside during Liverpool's Premier League match against Burnley at Anfield
Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images
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He is elite and dropping deep and linking play with silky touches and sharp turns. With Liverpool’s current personnel, he doesn’t always have that option.
The players surrounding him are attack-minded, but not quite capable of playing as the striker when Ekitike drops deep.
Salah can, though. That’s how he was used for much of AFCON, playing more centrally and closer to the goal. It gives the attack a fluidity and interchangeability that has been missing lately, unlock the best version of Ekitike, and also get the Egyptian back amongst the goals
Salah needs to shake off AFCON heartbreak
Going out in the semi-final is almost worse than not making it out of the group. Painfully close.
Add to that all the drama of late 2025, and it becomes clear that the situation with Salah may be a difficult one.
Unpopular opinion: Peak Sadio Mane was better than peak Mohamed Salah…
People aren't ready for that discussion…
Sadio Mane pats the Champions League trophy after Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur in the final at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid (Credit: Getty Images/Jose Breton/NurPhoto).
Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring for Liverpool against Southampton in the Premier League at Anfield (Credit: Getty Images/Julian Finney).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Jose Breton/NurPhoto/Julian Finney
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He will want to be straight back in the team. Whether Arne Slot agrees is another question.
Let’s not forget what he did for Liverpool last season. Salah could yet get back to being the guy, and he and Ekitike could form a lethal strike partnership in the coming weeks.
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