We are nearly on the eve of a new season and there are a plethora of storylines and plots to follow on a weekly basis.
We are back with another player preview after Diogo Jota was the first feature I wrote about. While he will be important , the man in focus for this piece will clearly have an even more integral role to play in this iteration of Liverpool.
Mohamed Salah, even at 32, is still the one of the best players in the world and now entering the final year of his contract, he will have a lot to say about how this season plays out.
New season, same elite play?
Salah did have a slight downturn at the end of last season, but he still ended up as the leading scorer and assister in the squad across all competitions.
Without having any summer tournament to play in for Egypt, he took the time to recover and rest up for the new challenges ahead. This rest seems to have done him wonders as he has been at his creative best in the preseason.
He has not lost a step as he cooked the Arsenal defense in the 2-0 win in America where he scored the opener on a blistering counterattack.
He keeps himself in such incredible physical condition that it’s clear he is not going to age the same way other wingers in their thirties will.
While his finishing can occasionally be erratic, he still is one of the best players this club has seen at putting the ball in the back of the net. However, he has elevated his creating abilities in recent years and he can raise the guys around him.
He should thrive in Slot’s system
The more controlled chaos that comes in Arne Slot’s way of playing is something that might suit Salah. In addition, the desire to play in possession and build up through that avenue meshes well with an elite dribbler like Mo.
Salah can play on the wing, lead the line and I think he could also play a high-level No. 10 if the game or situation asked for it.
We’ve seen in the friendlies this summer that the players have a lot of creative liberties going forward and this interchangeability is something that should only aid the Egyptian in his endeavors.
It does not matter who he plays up-top with as a lot of the attack should still be funneled through him and he can use his pace and carrying ability to attack defenders from a variety of angles on the pitch at any given moment.
There will be a slight decrease in off-the-ball pressing which will only aid Salah in maintaining his reserves for later in matches to pounce on opportunities and later in the season in general.
The Verdict
If Liverpool want to attain their targets this coming season across the board, Salah is going to need to be at his very best once again.
If he can recapture his week-to-week consistency this squad could be right at the top challenging for every trophy once again. He appears to be happy and enjoying himself and there are no issues about a possible exit so it is full steam ahead in Red and that is a scary proposition for other clubs.
While the form of Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo will also be important in attack, the ultimate pressure will fall on Salah to shoulder the load on days those guys are not firing.
If he wants one more lucrative extension from Liverpool, Salah needs another sterling season and based on the early returns, this looks like a distinct possibility once again.
