As the international break is under way, there is one question that need a serious answer! “What has happened to Mohamed Salah?”
Last year’s top scorer has failed to hit the ground running this season. Having scored a record 32 goals in the league, Salah’s debut season was nothing but remarkable. Not only did he led Liverpool to a top four finish but also guided them to a first Champions League final since 2007; scoring 11 goals in the process.
His exploits in the league earned him the PFA player of the year award and nominations in both UEFA player of the year and FIFA THE BEST award, where he was defeated by the Croatia and Madrid midfield Luka Modric.
Having signed from Roma, not much was expected from Salah. But the way he played made his £37m fee look like a bargain. He won the premier league player of the month for a record 3 times in the same season.
But things have not gone quite as planned for Mo and Liverpool this season. Things changed for worse for Salah after the Champions League final, a game that could have sealed Salah’s stature in Liverpool’s history. 30 mins into the game and he was substituted following a controversial tackle by Madrid captain Sergio Ramos. A shoulder injury which many believe is still haunting Mo. The injury also had an impact on his performance in the World Cup as he was not fully fit to represent Egypt. A sad end to what was a near perfect season for him.
This season though Salah has managed only 3 goals in all competition. Some may say that it is too early to judge him but the fact is that Salah is indeed underperforming this time out. His overall game is a cause for concern for Klopp considering that Liverpool are expected to be fighting for the league glory along with Chelsea and City.
While Salah is underperforming, his rivals in the scoring chart have been consistent till now. The stats are below:
