Mo’s number is far from up
WHEN the board with Mo Salah’s number on it went up in the 66th minute, he gave a bemused, frustrated grimace and trudged to the touchline.
There were a few puzzled boos from the Liverpool fans – how could Jurgen Klopp be taking off their hero?
But two fluffed shots, a third cleared off the line when he had been forced wide, and two other moments when he passed instead of shooting, told a tale.
Last season during that amazing record-breaking 44-goal run of success which earned him the PFA Player of the Year award and the Golden Boot, those chances would have gone in.
Liverpool’s talisman seems to have lost his mojo.
It was the earliest he had been taken off this season, which has so far produced three goals.
Though he is clearly off the pace, this time last year he had scored only one more and Klopp insisted those pundits and fans who are doubting the 26-year-old Egypt international will be eating their words come the end of the season.
“Of course he is not happy with himself. How could he be?” said Klopp.
“That is a normal situation. That is what you have a manager for.
“We will have a talk about it. It is easy for me because I do not read what is said, but the boys do a bit more.
“People will dissect, like a doctor. A big nice cut and wow – they will find pretty much nothing.
“At the end of the season people will be saying sorry for what they have said. It is all fine. As long as he works like he works, I am completely fine.” Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk said: “Of course Mo’s goals will return.
“We are seven games in, the season is very long, he’s working hard and is doing it in training. He’s still the same Mo. He needs a bit of luck.
“I’m not worried at all, and he should not be worried either. We do it all together, we’ll always be there for him and he’ll deliver as well.
“He had a tough game but it’s part of football.”
But while Salah is struggling, while those little moments are not quite working right now as they did last season, his team showed on Saturday that they now have a strong enough bench to cope. Klopp’s men look like the real deal.
Daniel Sturridge came on with four minutes left with Liverpool, three days after their Carabao Cup defeat by Chelsea, behind to another superb Eden Hazard goal.
Then, three of those minutes later and receiving the ball for the first time, Sturridge touched the ball on and with his left foot bent a quite brilliant 35-yard drive out of nowhere up and over Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga for a quite extraordinary equaliser his team truly deserved. It was the first time this season in the league that Liverpool had been behind, and they had responded like title challengers. For Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea, still in the early stages of their transformation under the Italian, it was confirmation that they can compete with the best. But they still have a way to go. Apart from the brilliant Hazard, a bonus for Sarri has
been the resurgence of Brazilian defender David Luiz, discarded under Antonio Conte.
Sarri said: “Luiz was confused when I arrived. Two seasons ago he was a protagonist but then came six months without playing. But he is very able to play my way.
“He is much better than I thought, as a player and a man. I appreciate very much the man, as he is direct.
“If he has to say something to me, he does that. I don’t know about the last manager,