Journalist: Salah struggles highlight ‘title concern’ for Liverpool | OneFootball

Liverpool’s Salah Dilemma Raises Big Questions About Title Credentials

Lack of Cutting Edge at Turf Moor

Liverpool left Turf Moor with three points and a perfect record, but the performance posed uncomfortable questions. As reported by The Independent, Arne Slot’s team were “listless and unimaginative in attack” until Mohamed Salah converted a stoppage-time penalty to snatch a 1-0 win over Burnley.

Photo: IMAGO

Having already invested heavily in Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike, Liverpool surprised many by breaking the British transfer record again to sign Alexander Isak. Some rival supporters mocked the signing as excessive, yet Sunday’s display showed why the Swede may be vital. “For all the myriad talents in the forward department, what was glaring in the meek Burnley showing was the lack of an attacking focal point,” the report stated.

Ekitike was lively but most effective cutting in from wide positions. Wirtz struggled to influence play, and Cody Gakpo was limited to drifting in from the flanks. Liverpool never found a central presence to pin Burnley’s defence back.

Salah’s Struggles Highlight Deeper Concerns

Salah has been Liverpool’s talisman for nearly a decade, but the article argued that his current form is “perhaps the biggest cause for concern.” He failed to win a single duel, completed no dribbles, created just one chance and did not manage a shot until the penalty.

Arne Slot admitted he considered taking him off. “I’ve thought about almost every substitution you can make,” he said. “But in the end, you always come back to the fact that I don’t want to leave this stadium with a draw. With taking Mo off, if you need a goal, you leave him on.”

Photo IMAGO

At 33, Salah’s influence is naturally waning, yet his reputation keeps him on the pitch. As the article noted, “he is never substituted. You don’t beg a generational talent to stay twice and then leave him out.”

Isak the Missing Piece

Isak’s imminent availability could reshape Liverpool’s attack. “With him through the middle, Slot can then rotate the wealth of forward options he has at his disposal around the new arrival,” the report observed. This would give Wirtz the chance to operate in his most dangerous areas and Ekitike the freedom to exploit the half-spaces.

Such a shift might also force a conversation about Salah’s role. Leaving him on week after week when out of form could, as The Independent warned, “prove costly come May.”

Defining Moment for Slot

Slot’s challenge is to balance loyalty to a club legend with the demands of a relentless title race. Liverpool have the depth and the talent to dominate again, but fine margins will decide whether this season ends with silverware or regret. Managing Salah’s minutes intelligently could be one of the most important calls of the campaign.

Photo: IMAGO

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

Liverpool fans will read this and feel a mix of pride and unease. Pride because we are four wins from four, with a squad that looks deeper and more dangerous than at any time since 2019–20. Unease because Salah’s quiet form cannot be ignored forever, and relying on last-minute penalties is not sustainable for a title challenge.

Supporters will back Salah, of course, he has been the club’s matchwinner too many times to count, but the idea of him being undroppable is no longer as clear-cut as it once was. Slot’s honesty about nearly substituting him is telling. For many fans, that is the right approach: respect what Salah has achieved but be ruthless if it benefits the team.

The excitement around Isak’s debut is palpable. Imagine him leading the line, with Wirtz and Ekitike buzzing around him and Salah free to drift rather than carry the whole attacking burden. That vision is why Liverpool fans are optimistic despite the flat display at Burnley.

If Slot gets this balance right, there is every reason to believe Liverpool can turn a grinding start into another title-winning campaign. It may require bold decisions about Salah’s minutes, but fans will accept that if it delivers trophies in May.