Former Chelsea centre-back Frank Leboeuf reckons Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah's level has significantly dropped this season. The Egyptian is in his ninth season at Anfield since arriving from AS Roma in the summer of 2017.
The Egyptian has impressive overall numbers for the club - 251 goals and 120 assists in 427 games across competitions. However, he has unusually modest numbers this campaign - six goals and seven assists in 26 outings across competitions.
Salah's latest goal contribution - an assist - came in the Reds' hard-fought 1-0 Premier League win at Sunderland on Wednesday (February 11), but the Egyptian hasn't scored in eight league outings since doing so against Aston Villa in November.
“At some point, even when he was scoring goals, you could have seen some clumsiness (with Salah)," Lebouef said on ESPN. "I find it strange from a player like him. He’s kind of clumsy. This season, it’s like we only see the clumsiness. It’s insane because he went from being somebody exceptional to being a really average player.
“It’s worrying me because he doesn’t deserve this. Salah has shown, especially in his time at Liverpool, all his talent. Where is his talent? It’s like it disappeared.”
Salah had an impressive 34 strikes and 23 assists in 52 games across competitions last season. That included 29 strikes and 18 assists in 38 outings in the Reds' victorious Premier League campaign in Arne Slot's first season in English football.
"A great win" - Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk after Sunderland win
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk paid tribute to his club's determination and work ethic in their narrow Premier League win at the Stadium of Light over Sunderland in midweek.
The Dutchman's strike made all the difference on the night - his second in the league in 26 games this season - as he acknowledged the quality of the opposition, telling TNT Sports (via the BBC):
"A great win, hard work, on a very interesting, difficult pitch. Recover and go again on the weekend. It was quite a circumstance, but to come here and to play like we did today was a well-deserved three points.
"I think they showed this season how difficult it is to beat them and a lot of credit to them - it is a hard-working team. It is good to come here and for us to win and keep the clean sheet. A good match for us."
The Reds' aforementioned win marked the first time Sunderland lost in the league this season since getting promoted after winning last season's Championship play-off final.