‘May have to’: Daniel Sturridge’s expert WARNING to Mo Salah | OneFootball

Daniel Sturridge has handed out a proper warning to Mo Salah. It's one the Liverpool forward may need to heed.

Mo Salah hasn't been 'Mo Salah' this season. The Egyptian simply isn't having the same impact we're used to, usually finding himself on the fringes of games.

Salah had another such game against Chelsea on Saturday as he failed to put his old team to the sword. He had three real opportunities to do so - one fired wide on his weaker foot and two smashed way off target from distance.

In truth, though, it's not exactly a positive sign that these were his only real chances. Only the one on his right foot was a genuine scoring opportunity, crafted from a simply ridiculous first-touch from Florian Wirtz.

Other than that, Liverpool didn't give Salah much of anything to feast on. And that's the real problem.

Mo Salah's struggles

We've highlighted recently that while Salah is indeed struggling, he's far from the main problem. Really, his struggles are a symptom of it.

Liverpool just aren't moving forward in anything like the same way. That wouldn't be a massive problem if it was simply a case of changing styles but there's no real argument against this season being worse.

That means the ball is away from the decisive areas for much of the game and players like Salah aren't getting possession where they need it. Daniel Sturridge highlighted this ahead of the Chelsea match on Sky Sports.

"[Salah's] not actually taking as many shots as he has done," he explained. 15 shots for Cody Gakpo, another 13 for [Dominik] Szoboszlai and then you see Mohammed Salah at nine.

"The team are typically used to playing through him. He's the one who takes the shots, he's the one who's sort of the anchor for the team, who controls the way the attack is going to go.

"His touches in the box are way down - almost half of what he had last season at this stage. So we're talking about a guy who's not getting the ball in the areas he'd like to.

"I think the ball is going down the left side a little bit more. Previously, they had Trent Alexander-Arnold playing down that right side who was orchestrating attacks. In turn, Salah would get the ball more in dangerous areas.

"I think now the way the team is building up is very different than before. Trying to find someone in those holds who will be able to play those passes.

"And Mo might have to change his game slightly because you've got new players who are in here and expecting different things from him, as well."

That is the crux of it and it was clear from the Community Shield that things had changed. A lop-sided Liverpool, one that drifts away from the right flank, is alienating Salah from moves he was usually heavily involved in.