Tottenham Hotspur FC v Arsenal FC - Premier League
Paul Merson has his concerns about Liverpool (Picture: Getty)
Paul Merson fears that one piece of Liverpool’s summer transfer business could leave them with a ‘major problem’ this season.
Arne Slot’s side stormed to the Premier League title last season, but have not rested on their laurels and instead launched an ambitious spending spree this summer.
Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez have arrived to strengthen Liverpool’s full-back options, while Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike have been brought in for big money to bolster their attacking ranks.
Given their dominance last season, Liverpool will go off as favourites to defend their title, but not everybody is convinced just yet.
The Reds were not at their best when they lost the Community Shield to Crystal Palace last weekend, with the under-par performance of Mohamed Salah of particular note.
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And former Arsenal midfielder Merson believes that the Egyptian’s display, and his relationship with new signing Frimpong, should be cause for concern ahead of the new season.
‘It was a bit of a worrying performance from Salah at Wembley,’ Merson told Sky Sports. ‘I don’t think I’ve seen a player play that badly before in a football match.
Crystal Palace v Liverpool - 2025 FA Community Shield
Arne Slot’s side delivered a concerning performance against Crystal Palace in the Community Shield (Picture: Getty)
‘But that can be Salah. He can go missing for a few weeks before going on a run of scoring in 10 matches on the trot or smashing in a hat-trick.
‘One thing that might be difficult for him this season is playing in front of Jeremie Frimpong. Compared to Trent Alexander-Arnold, he’s more like an attacking winger.’
Merson continued: ‘With Trent, Salah could make any run and he’d be picked out. Trent would also attract defenders, leaving Salah more space. Trent could destroy you himself.
Crystal Palace v Liverpool - 2025 FA Community Shield
Mohamed Salah’s performance was one thing that concerned Paul Merson (Picture: Getty)
‘Frimpong’s a good player but he’s not a destroyer. He plays so far forward that he’s not a natural defender. Trent wasn’t either but the same thing applies really, I think Ibrahima Konate could be too exposed.
‘There’s a major problem down that side of the pitch, even more so than last season.’
Speaking after Liverpool’s defeat to Crystal Palace, though, Slot was keen not to draw sweeping conclusions from his side’s display.
‘We’ve indeed replaced four players and sometimes you need some time either to adapt offensively or adapt defensively,’ the Dutchman said.
‘I don’t feel we conceded that much today but again we conceded two goals because the first big chance they got resulted in the penalty. Maybe I forget a few chances but it felt to me that in the 78th minute, that was their second big chance of the game.
‘But in general there were not many chances because they went to a low block [and] we had a lot of ball possession.
‘But after the 2-2 they had [chances], so it needs maybe a little bit of adjustment defensively at the moment because we don’t concede a lot of chances but we do concede goals at the moment.’
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