The season is now entering the final stretch and the heat is really starting to ramp up for Liverpool, who know it could be make or break for Arne Slot in the Anfield dugout.
It starts on Saturday, with the Reds travelling to the Etihad Stadium to meet Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. While there remains a heightened focus on qualifying for the Champions League through the Premier League, Liverpool could certainly do with some fresh positivity here.
Arne-Slot-Brighton-Liverpool
This feels like a critical moment for Slot, and disappointing results over the next week or two could tip fan dissent toward an untenable degree.
Liverpool need to turn things around, and it's fortuitous that Alexander Isak has bounced back from injury.
Alexander Isak's return from injury
Isak is back, having returned to first-team training this week.
The Sweden striker, who joined Liverpool from Newcastle United for a British record £125m last summer, has been put through the wringer, only scoring three times before his December leg break.
Alexander Isak Liverpool Graphic
Even so, this is one of the deadliest forwards in the world, a player who has been hailed as "an absolute nightmare" for defenders to deal with by pundit and Magpies fan Alan Shearer.
Though Slot has downplayed any chance of him starting against City on Saturday, the 26-year-old is in line to feature in the closing stages before making a bigger impact against the likes of Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
For now, Slot will have to hope that Salah can rediscover his shooting boots at this critical juncture, but he must also ensure that a rising star, the new Salah, is part of the starting line-up in Manchester.
Slot must unleash Liverpool's new Salah
Liverpool have flattered to deceive this season. While sources suggest that FSG are set to retain the faith in their struggling manager, maintaining that there has been mitigation underlying the struggle, failure to respond to mounting criticism over the next few weeks could spell the end for the Dutchman.
Mohamed Salah for Liverpool
Salah needs to step up before taking his leave this summer, and Isak will need to as well, but it could be the young Rio Ngumoha who emerges as Anfield's saviour, injecting electricity and inspiration into a stale frontline.
Ngumoha, 17, emerged at the start of the campaign when he scored on his Premier League debut, bagging the winner at St. James' Park. He struggled for opportunities thereafter, but over the past few months has started to gain Slot's trust, impressing when called upon in the FA Cup and Premier League.
Youngest Scorers in Premier League History
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The left-sided forward is so dangerous. A crowd-pleaser, he has yet to add to his tally, but the directness with which he conducts himself suggests that he could end up as the proverbial Salah successor at Anfield, dazzling on the ball and also racking up the goals and the assists.
Isak is not ready to take on the talismanic role, but the unfit forward might not be needed in that capacity if Slot can spring a surprise at the Etihad through Ngumoha, who is ready to produce another show-stopping moment and edge Liverpool toward silverware.
Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha
Not long ago, the thought of this rising star playing a pivotal role in such an important game, against such imperious opponents, would have seemed far-fetched, but as Cody Gakpo continues to struggle, Slot might be inclined to ring the change.
Ngumoha, after all, has now featured in each of Liverpool's last five Premier League matches, starting during the drab draw against Tottenham Hotspur and indeed looking the brightest spark on that occasion.
There's no point sugarcoating it: this is going to be a tough one for Liverpool and Slot. However, if they are to have any hope of prevailing, Ngumoha needs to start over Gakpo, who has been ineffective for too long.
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