Far from being the problem, Mo Salah remains Liverpool's solution

In a week in which reports suggested Liverpool were considering selling Salah to fund a squad refresh this summer, the irrationality of that option was laid bare

Tue, 14 Feb, 2023 - 07:30

Chris Hatherall

In a week in which reports suggested Liverpool’s plight was so bad they were considering selling Mo Salah to fund a squad refresh this summer, the irrationality of that option was laid bare at Anfield as the Egyptian reminded us of the difference that quality can make, even when his team appears weighed down by pressure and lack of form.

Salah hadn’t scored a Premier League goal since facing Aston Villa on St Stephen’s Day, which for a player with three Golden Boots since arriving in England in 2017, appeared to be a sign of unexpected decline.

But his simple lofted finish from a typically swift Liverpool counterattack, together with a lively and motivated performance, showed he’s the solution to Liverpool’s recovery rather than the reason for their problems.

It was his 18th goal of the season, which may surprise those who have heard accusations that the 30-year-old hasn’t been at his best, and when you consider that there are 18 Premier League games to play and the Egyptian has a record of one goal every 1.65 games in his Liverpool career so far, then he’s well on target to top 25 for the season for the fifth time in six seasons.

Certainly, if Liverpool genuinely want to rebuild then Salah needs to stay. Losing Sadio Mane proved tough enough, but losing their talisman, the man who sets the pace of their attacks on the transition and who provides the magic that turns difficult nights into winning ones – including Merseyside derbies – is something else.

Salah only signed a new contract in July 2022, of course, which runs until 2025, but that hasn’t prevented speculation that Liverpool might accept a €60m bid for him this summer, with Real Madrid already showing interest.

Surely that narrative must be wide of the mark, because Salah was the man a poor Everton side couldn’t cope with, especially as they never showed the kind of drive and belief that saw them surprisingly beat Arsenal last weekend in Sean Dyche’s first game in charge.

His pace, his quality, his awareness made the difference and any suggestion that there is a problem with his attitude (something which Jurgen Klopp quickly put right this week) seems perverse given the passion and determination he showed to make a difference on the pitch.

What will encourage Liverpool, too, is that several young players alongside Salah finally showed signs they have the ability to be part of the club’s future as they prepare to travel to Newcastle next on Saturday.

It was Darwin Nunez who used his outstanding pace on the break to find Salah for the opening goal with a perfect pass – the fourth goal he has set up for his teammate already this season. And it was new signing Cody Gakpo who finished off Everton with a tap-in at the far post just 15 seconds into the second half.

Then there was Spanish midfielder Stefan Bajcetic, who at just 18 was chosen to play in a frenetic derby fixture and was outstanding in the way he coped with it.

To complete the list of positives, Liverpool were also able to bring on Diogo Jota and Bobby Firmino on their returns from injury, to underline the depth of their attacking options. Make no mistake, despite the lack of threat from Everton, this was a big, big win. Liverpool’s players and supporters will take huge encouragement from a victory in which the home side were back to their most dangerous on the break and saw the quality of their attacking options highlighted.

Of course, both teams have had difficult seasons and that’s why this derby felt different. The usual preamble resembles a weigh-in ahead of a boxing match. A bit of trash talk, a lot of posturing, pundits piling in, fans metaphorically kissing the badge on their online shirts – and a fair chunk of nostalgia as goals from previous battles are replayed in front of dewy-eyed audiences.

Not this time.

Whereas normally the debate was about who would ‘take the honours’ or ‘win the bragging rights’, the atmosphere ahead of this one was about which of the protagonists could save their skins – and their season in the process.

Whether it really does that for Liverpool is still to be confirmed, but this result takes them up to ninth, nine points outside the top four, and with Newcastle away – the team currently holding fourth place - to come on Saturday.

It’s Real Madrid after that with Manchester United on the horizon at Anfield in early March, so you could hardly say Liverpool’s season is over.

If you’re being positive, perhaps a derby boost can be the catalyst to spark a late season revival, with a new set of forwards – and a classy young midfielder - playing their part.

If they want to be challengers again next season, however, surely Salah has to stay put to hold it all together.