A Demoralising Week at Anfield
After one of the most demoralising weeks of his eight years at Anfield, the good news for Mohamed Salah is that Arne Slot has not found his successor. The man who took Salah’s usual spot on Liverpool’s right flank at West Ham, Dominik Szoboszlai, was a short-term solution, not the face of a new formula. Szoboszlai, pressed into service in his fourth different role of the season, might have welcomed this news as well. Salah, Slot admitted, was unhappy at being omitted, but any return to the team now would be temporary, with the Africa Cup of Nations starting soon.
Szoboszlai: A Multi-Positional Asset
If Szoboszlai could be a temporary stand-in for Salah, Slot emphasized that he sees the player more as a midfielder rather than a long-term winger. “I don’t see Dominik as a right-winger for the long-term future in this club,” Slot explained. “Dominik is a midfielder who could help us out as a full-back or as a winger if needed. I don’t expect to be in February and March with every single game Dominik playing there. He’s more of a midfielder than a winger, but the good thing about him is he can help me and us out in several positions if I need him in that position.” The decision to play Szoboszlai on Sunday owed something to his work rate, a stark contrast to Salah’s reluctance to track back, which some opponents have capitalized on. “Dominik, as we all know, runs for two and that was helpful in that game,” Slot rationalized.
The Scrutiny of Benching a Star
Benching a player of Salah’s profile brings a certain level of scrutiny, not only on the manager but also on the player himself. The cameras tend to focus on Salah for his goals and goal celebrations, but on Sunday, they found him on the padded seats at the London Stadium, next to Andy Robertson. “It is not a nice thing for a Liverpool fan and not for me, a player that has been so important for us – you want to see him on the pitch,” Slot lamented. “I prefer to see Mo on the pitch, scoring his goals and doing something special, rather than the camera being on him when he isn’t in the game.” The rare sight of Salah on the bench was a testament to the manager’s bold decision, one that didn’t sit well with the Egyptian star.
Salah’s Imminent Absence
Soon, Salah will not be in the Liverpool games. The likelihood is that he will be available for four more matches—Sunderland, Leeds, Inter Milan, and Brighton—before a few weeks of enforced absence for the Africa Cup of Nations. “He has been so important for us, for so many years, and he will be important for us in the coming days – because it is days as he goes to the African Cup [of Nations],” Slot acknowledged. Szoboszlai could be an emergency winger again during Afcon, but the more immediate question is whether he will be before then. The diplomat in Slot stressed Salah’s significance, and the manager who dropped him for a must-win match must now determine how many of those four matches he starts.
Salah’s Reaction and Future
Salah has scored only seven goals in his last 29 outings for Liverpool, five in 18 this season, but has long been defined by his determination to play every game. Being omitted did not please him. “That is a fair assumption and a normal reaction from a player that is good enough to play for us, and I say it mildly because he has been so outstanding for this club for so many years and will be for us in the future,” Slot stated. “Of course, a player is not happy he isn’t playing. He was not the only one who wasn’t happy he wasn’t starting, I can tell you, and that’s normal.” Salah’s reaction, Slot said, has been excellent, both on Sunday and in training on Monday. The Dutchman professed himself unsurprised. Memories of last season, when Salah equalled the Premier League record with 47 goal involvements, should counter any suggestions that he is finished.
The Future of Liverpool’s Winger Position
Sunday’s match could have marked a changing of the guard, with Florian Wirtz delivering his best Premier League performance for Liverpool and Alexander Isak scoring his first goal in the division. Each achievement occurred without Salah. However, Slot does not have a new strategy involving Szoboszlai taking over from him. The Hungarian has been both winger and full-back at different points this season, but Slot emphasized, “In the long-term future, we should have wingers playing as wingers, midfielders playing as midfielders, and defenders playing as defenders.” Whether that winger is a resurgent Salah or a genuine successor such as Antoine Semenyo remains to be seen. But in the next four matches, the cameras will be picturing Salah, whether he is on the pitch or the bench, scoring or watching, happy or unhappy.
