Salah’s striking deputies fall short in absence of the Egyptian master

FORTUNATELY for Liverpool, it looks very much like Mohamed Salah will be donning a red shirt on Tuesday evening in Manchester.

He was not here at Goodison Park yesterday, out with a groin problem, and it certainly told. Liverpool mustered just three shots on target despite monopolising possession on a dank afternoon in more ways than one.

That shines something of a light on both Danny Ings and Dominic Solanke, who both lacked end-product despite working hard. Make no mistake, Liverpool would have romped to a comfortable victory had Salah been available.

Jurgen Klopp would not definitively rule the Egyptian in as they look to complete the job against Manchester City. It does feels like Salah will be there, though.

‘That (Salah proving his fitness) is what everybody thinks will happen but we will see,’ Klopp said.

Liverpool are a completely different proposition without him and are devoid of that spark which has made them so irresistible at times this season. Similar can be said of Roberto Firmino, who only made the bench, and it is little wonder Liverpool were quite this profligate without their two protagonists.

Solanke should have found the net at least once early on, heading wide of Jordan Pickford’s goal before slamming straight at him soon after. Salah scores both and that is the difference.

Ings was disappointed when withdrawn with a minute remaining, but that seems overly selfcritical given that it was his first start since October 2015.

Klopp said: ‘Danny and Dom haven’t played much. But the job was to work hard and enjoy the game so it’s all OK.’

Klopp, however, could privately be thinking that his attack is an area to target in the summer transfer window. Solanke and Ings have no goals in 32 appearances between them, and that does not scream options.