Liverpool manager Arne Slot has backed Mohamed Salah to rediscover his scoring touch against Brentford on Saturday.
Salah, 33, has gone six games without finding the net, his longest barren spell since joining the Reds in 2017. The forward was left on the bench during Wednesday’s 5-1 Champions League win away to Eintracht Frankfurt but came on for the final 16 minutes, missing a couple of clear chances.
The Liverpool talisman also squandered opportunities in last weekend’s 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United, and Slot admitted he could not pinpoint an exact reason for Salah’s struggles in front of goal.
“It’s so difficult for me to say why this is,” Slot said. “Players miss chances and Mo is a human being as well. We’re not used to him missing, let alone a few in a row, but these things happen. The main thing is that Mo has always scored goals for our club.
“The last thing I worry about is him scoring again, that’s what he’s done his whole career and that’s what I expect him to do in the coming weeks and months.”
Liverpool underwent a major attacking overhaul in the summer, bringing in Sweden striker Alexander Isak for 125 million pounds, French forward Hugo Ekitike for 79 million pounds, and German playmaker Florian Wirtz for 116 million pounds. Slot admitted that the changes, along with the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid, might have disrupted Salah’s usual rhythm on the right flank.
“It could play a part,” Slot admitted. “Maybe it’s because he played with Trent for his whole Liverpool career, and now things are different. In general, when you make a lot of changes, players need time to build new connections. Mo is no exception, he’s human like everyone else.”
The Dutchman also highlighted injuries as a factor behind Liverpool’s inconsistent early-season form, with Jeremie Frimpong, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexander Isak, and Alisson Becker all missing periods through fitness issues.
“In an ideal world you’d play every game with the same team, but that’s not realistic when you play every three days,” Slot said. “We’ve had players in and out with injuries, and that affects rhythm and understanding.”
Liverpool, currently fourth in the Premier League on 15 points after eight matches behind leaders Arsenal (19 points) and Manchester City (16 points), with Bournemouth also on 15, will be hoping Salah’s goals return this weekend as they look to keep up the pressure at the top.
