Mohamed Salah finally scored for Liverpool this week after more than two months without a goal.
Granted, the Egyptian had been away at the Africa Cup of Nations in between, but his free-kick strike against Qarabag was still his first in 10 games with the Reds.
The relief on Salah‘s face was clear to see, and after such a lot of speculation over his future, it was nice to see him tapping the Liverpool badge as well.
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Mohamed Salah scores a free-kick during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against Qarabag at Anfield (Credit: Getty Images/Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar
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Hopefully the goal can mark a return to form for the veteran, who has been struggling to show anything like his best this season.
But while there will be renewed hope that Salah is not yet finished at Liverpool, Arne Slot highlighted a problem which has been creeping in ahead of Saturday’s clash with Newcastle.
Mohamed Salah needs a regular right-back
Since Wednesday’s thumping win in the Champions League, the focus has largely been on Liverpool’s problem position of right-back.
There are suggestions that Liverpool could dip into the market at the end of the January transfer window but that will not come in time for Saturday’s game.
Mohamed Salah pictured with his hands on his hips during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against Qarabag at Anfield.
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
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As a result, it is likely that a midfielder will be played out of position at right-back against Newcastle. Whether that is Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai or Wataru Endo, Slot is going to put another square peg in a round hole.
Although Endo played well while filling in against Qarabag, Slot was asked during his pre-match press conference whether the absence of a natural right-back is going to work against Salah rediscovering his form.
“It depends. I think what helps for every winger is that there are players making overlapping or inside runs, so that the teammates of the one that has to defend Mo are also aware of other runs and you can isolate Mo or a winger then a little bit more in a one-v-one,” Slot answered.
Who could be Liverpool’s short-term right-back transfer fix?
Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes watches from the stands as the Reds take on Chelsea in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge (Credit: Getty Images/Robin Jones).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Robin Jones
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“If that doesn’t happen they can double up and that is then more difficult for every winger. But I saw Wata making a lot of inside runs and trying to make once in a while an overlapping run as well. Is that different than Jeremie? Yeah, Wata doesn’t have the one-v-one quality to take a player on than Jeremie has, but he brings other smart things to our team if he plays in that position, which he did: his positioning between the lines because he is a midfielder.
“Every player brings something else to the team and we have to make sure that no matter plays behind him, Mo gets often enough in a promising position.”
Who would be Salah’s best option?
Perhaps an under-mentioned aspect of Salah’s drop in form this season has been the absence of a regular right-back behind him.
The 33-year-old played ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold almost every week for eight seasons. The pair had a brilliant partnership on the pitch and a close relationship off it.
It was always going to take Salah time to adapt to whatever came next, and the fact that there has been so much chopping and changing cannot have helped him at all.
From the options available to Slot right now, you can imagine that Salah would prefer to have Szoboszlai playing behind him. The Hungarian has the engine to do his defensive work and in terms of a stylistic fit, he is the closest to Alexander-Arnold that Liverpool have.
Nevertheless, Szoboszlai is needed in midfield, meaning either Jones or Endo are more likely to play against Newcastle. For Salah, maybe some continuity might work and he played well alongside Endo on Wednesday. But if things change again – and we think they probably will – don’t be surprised to see the Egyptian King struggle a little more.
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