Why Liverpool Are Struggling to Unlock Mohamed Salah's Brilliance

October 7, 2025

With just two goals in seven Premier League games this season and none from open play since Matchday 1, Mohamed Salah's form has dipped dramatically after an incredible 2024-25 campaign. As Liverpool navigate early-season struggles, their Egyptian King's diminished output has become both symptom and cause of the Reds' challenges.

The Concerning Trend

It was a most unwelcome experience of déjà vu for Liverpool. Arne Slot's men enjoyed scoring late winners earlier this season, but for the second consecutive weekend, they traveled to London to face a team beginning with C and lost 2-1 to a goal deep in stoppage time.

The defeat at former club Chelsea particularly galled Salah, who missed two presentable chances to score. These misses represent the latest setback in what has been a frustrating start to the season for the Egyptian forward.

The Statistical Decline

The numbers paint a troubling picture for a player who recorded 57 goal involvements last season (34 goals, 23 assists) - the most of anyone from Europe's top five leagues:

Touch and Position:

Touches per 90: Down from 48.6 to 42.6
Touches in opposition box per 90: Collapsed from 9.6 to just 5.5
His lowest-ever full season average at Liverpool was 8.5 in his debut campaign

Dribbling:

Attempts per 90: Plummeted from 3.5 to just 1.6
Success rate: Dropped from 39.3% to 20%
Premier League specifically: Completed just 1 of 11 attempted dribbles (9.1%) compared to 58 of 137 (42.3%) last season

Shooting:

Shots per 90: Down from 3.4 to 2.0
Expected goals (xG) per 90: Nearly halved from 0.63 to 0.32
Across his last 24 games: Just 4 non-penalty goals from 52 shots

These aren't marginal declines - they represent fundamental changes in how Salah receives the ball, creates space, and threatens goal.

The Alexander-Arnold Factor

Losing Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid in the summer always threatened to negatively impact Salah. Their eight-season partnership on Merseyside's right flank was one of the Premier League's most productive relationships.

The Numbers Tell the Story:

Alexander-Arnold played 147 line-breaking passes (LBPs) to Salah in the Premier League last season - at least 39 more than any other combination in the competition. Of those, 37 broke the opposition's defensive line, far exceeding any other duo.

Current Replacements Fall Short:

Dominik Szoboszlai (playing some games at right-back): 23 LBPs to Salah, averaging 3.3 per game versus Alexander-Arnold's 4.5
Conor Bradley: 8 LBPs in five appearances, mostly short passes to non-threatening positions
Jeremie Frimpong: Zero LBPs to Salah in three league games
Florian Wirtz: 7 LBPs in seven appearances

With vs. Without Alexander-Arnold:

In the 33 league games last season when both featured:

Salah: 27 goals, 3.5 shots per game, 0.48 non-pen xG, 10.5 touches in opposition box

In the 12 games without Alexander-Arnold (last season and this):

Salah: 4 goals (2 penalties), 2.3 shots per game, 0.3 non-pen xG, 7.2 touches in opposition box

While other factors contribute, the correlation is undeniable.

Tactical and Positional Changes

Salah's positioning has become more predictable. Heat maps show he's receiving more touches by the right touchline halfway inside the opposition's half, but fewer in dangerous box areas. His 13.0 open-play touches per 90 in that touchline area is significantly higher than anywhere else - exactly where defenders want him.

Progressive passes received have dropped dramatically. Last season, Salah received the most progressive passes in the Premier League (297) - at least 74 more than anyone else. This season, he ranks just sixth (41).

However, Liverpool as a team still lead the league in progressive passes (29.6 per game), suggesting they're simply targeting Salah less frequently, possibly due to new attacking options like Wirtz.

The Creative Output Remains

While Salah's scoring has plummeted, his creative numbers haven't declined as drastically:

Chances created per 90: 1.6 (from 2.1)
Expected assists per 90: 0.23 (from 0.24)
Big chances created per 90: 0.65 (from 0.66)

His assist for Ryan Gravenberch against Everton was sublime, as was his inch-perfect trivela cross to Alexander Isak at Chelsea (which the Swede headed over). This suggests Salah's vision and passing remain sharp even as his scoring touch has deserted him.

Context Matters

Difficult Schedule: Five of Liverpool's seven opponents this season currently sit in the top eight, with another being Newcastle. They've faced only one bottom-nine team (Burnley). Once easier fixtures arrive, Salah's numbers should improve.

Personal Tragedy: The sudden death of close friend and teammate Diogo Jota in July has taken an emotional toll. Salah's tears after the opening-day win while the Kop sang Jota's song revealed the grief he and other Liverpool players are navigating while defending their title.

Team Decline: Of Liverpool's 13 Premier League goals this season, only one has been scored with a left-footed shot (Salah's penalty at Burnley). Last season, 40 of 86 goals came via left-footed shots. This stark contrast emphasizes how Salah's decline has affected the entire team's output.

Historical Precedent for Recovery

Some wrote Salah off after scoring just one non-penalty goal in his last nine Premier League games of 2023-24. He responded by hitting 29 goals the following campaign to fire Liverpool to the title.

His fourth-place finish in the 2025 Ballon d'Or voting - baffling after 57 goal involvements - seemed to summarize his recent frustrations. But this is a player who has spectacularly bounced back before.

What Needs to Change

For Arne Slot:

Find ways to get Salah more involved in dangerous areas
Develop better partnerships with right-backs to replicate the Alexander-Arnold connection
Create tactical setups that prevent defenders from easily isolating Salah wide

For Salah:

Rediscover the swagger and confidence that made him unstoppable
Adapt his game to work with new teammates and systems
Convert the chances he's still receiving in big moments

Betting Implications

Salah's decline creates interesting betting angles:

Avoid:

Salah anytime goalscorer props until form improves
Liverpool's traditional goal-scoring patterns
Heavy backing of Liverpool in tough fixtures

Consider:

Under bets on Salah shots/shots on target
Salah assist props (creative output remains steady)
Opposition clean sheet value against Liverpool

Conclusion

Mohamed Salah remains the Egyptian King, but even monarchs face difficult periods. His current struggles stem from multiple factors: losing his most productive partnership, tactical adjustments, tougher opposition, and personal grief.

Liverpool's title defense hangs partly on rediscovering Salah's brilliance. With easier fixtures approaching and time to build chemistry with new teammates, there's reason for optimism. History suggests writing off Salah is premature - he's bounced back from slumps before and will likely do so again.

The question isn't whether Salah will return to elite form, but when. For Liverpool's championship ambitions, the answer needs to be soon.

Thanks to Stats Perform for the data

Photo:https:liverpoolfctimes.com

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