Liverpool KNOW which transfer deal is hurting them most | OneFootball

Liverpool fans have been concerned about Mohamed Salah’s form this season.

it appears something is amiss.

The 33-year-old is less involved in Liverpool’s general play and it could come back to haunt the Anfield side as the season goes on.

With Salah fit and firing on all cylinders, there is no question that Liverpool are a better team. The sooner he returns to his best form, the more likely it becomes for Arne Slot’s side to sustain a Premier League title defence.

Liverpool have lost TAA's line breaking passes

But there is one good reason why Salah isn’t involved as much this season - and Arne Slot has got to find a solution. The problem is less to do with Salah and more to do with the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

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Alexander-Arnold, 26, chose to LEAVE Liverpool having spent 20 years on the club’s books. He chose Real Madrid as his next destination - although his time at the Bernabeu thus far has been indifferent.

That said, Trent left a sizeable gap in the Liverpool supply chain. Without the England international, Liverpool’s right-backs have been unable to find Salah in the same kind of way.

That’s according to Premier League analysis, which demonstrates that Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong are simply not able to replicate “line breaking passes” in the same way that Trent could.

Szoboszlai capable of finding Salah... from midfield

“Alexander-Arnold played 147 line-breaking passes to Salah in the Premier League last season, at least 39 more than any other combination in the competition,” the report states.

“Of those 147 passes, 37 broke the opposition’s defensive line.

“Conor Bradley has played eight LBPs to Salah in five appearances. Jeremie Frimpong is yet to play any LBPs to Salah in his three league appearances.”

But there is reason for optimism. For one, Liverpool are STILL making lots of line breaking passes. And in Dominik Szoboszlai, the Reds still possess the kind of player capable of finding Salah.

Maybe that’s one reason why Slot has opted to use the Hungarian in an unorthodox right-back position.

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Liverpool still managing line breaking passes without Trent

“Despite losing Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool have made the most LBPs in the Premier League again in 2025/26 (444), and have created the most chances from LBPs (17),” the report reads.

“Only Man City, with nine, have scored more than Liverpool's eight goals following LBPs.

“Dominik Szoboszlai to Salah is the third-most common LBP combo (23) in the league. No other Liverpool player has found him with more than 10.

“Most of his LBPs to the Egyptian have come from midfield positions."

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Liverpool hurting from Trent departure to Madrid

But the Reds are certainly hurting from the loss of TAA; the absence of the homegrown defender appears to be having a direct impact on Salah’s ability to influence games.

“In the 33 league games in which both featured, Salah scored 27 goals, averaging 3.5 shots per game, 0.48 non-pen xG and 10.5 touches in the opposition’s box,” the report states.

“In the 12 matches in which Alexander-Arnold didn’t play across last season and this, Salah has scored just four goals, two of which were penalties. He has averaged 2.3 shots per game, 0.3 non-pen xG and 7.2 touches in the opposition’s box.”

So sorting out the supply from right-back is arguably the biggest issue Slot has got in front of him right now. And once that’s worked out - Salah will be back to his old, familiar best.