Arne Slot admits Trent Alexander-Arnold factor could play part in Mohamed Salah’s poor form | OneFootball

Arne Slot has played down Mohamed Salah’s slow start to season but admitted Liverpool’s adjustment to life without Trent Alexander-Arnold could be a factor.

Salah, 33, was dropped for a second consecutive Champions League outing in midweek - the first time that’s happened since he joined Liverpool back in 2017 - and saw numerous chances pass him by in a goalless cameo off the bench.

The Egyptian is struggling with uncharacteristically poor run in front of goal, having not scored in his last six appearances across all competitions.

Slot wondered whether the absence of Alexander-Arnold, once Liverpool’s primary creator who joined Real Madrid in the summer, could be impacting his output.

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Mohamed Salah had played with Trent Alexander-Arnold throughout his entire Liverpool career before the Englishman’s summer exit (Getty Images)

“He played with Trent his whole Liverpool career, so it could (be that),” Slot said when asked about Salah’s drop in form. “He's been in promising positions often enough to score goals, but maybe with Trent even more.

“But in general, if you have quite a few changes in the summer you have to find new connections. Mo is not an exception to this because he’s also a human being, like all the others.”

Slot was also sure to note that Salah is far from the only Liverpool player going through difficulties, with the Reds finally breaking their four-game losing streak on Wednesday.

“It has been a difficult moment for all of us,” Slot said. “Nobody is used to losing particularly the players who have been here a long time.

"Scorelines have an impact on opinions of people. I need to show everyone what we did well and what we did wrong."

“I don’t know if it’s sharpness or not,” he added on Salah, who signed a two-year contract extension before the end of last season. “It’s difficult for me to come up with why this is. In general, players miss chances.

“He's a human being. We're not used to him missing chances let alone a few games in a row, but these things happen. The main thing is Mo has always scored his goals for our club.

“The last thing I worry about is Mo scoring goals again because that's what he does his whole life and that's what I expect him to do again.”

Slot also provided injury updates on Jeremie Frimpong and Alexander Isak, who were withdrawn against Frankfurt after picking up muscle problems, as well as Alisson and Ryan Gravenberch.

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Jeremie Frimpong suffered a hamstring injury against Frankfurt (AFP via Getty Images)

"Jeremie Frimpong is not in a good place, he won't play today, tomorrow or next week,” Slot confirmed. “Hamstring injuries take a while.

"Alexander [Isak] is not too bad. He is a question mark for the weekend so we will see where he is and that is the same with Ryan Gravenberch.

"Alisson Becker is also not in the squad."