Arne Slot faces call to drop Mohamed Salah as his problem with Hugo Ekitike emerges

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A problem could be developing between Mo Salah and Hugo Ekitike(Image: Getty Images)

Arne Slot is facing fresh calls to drop Mohamed Salah from Liverpool's starting line-up.

It comes after the Egyptian admitted he's struggling to build chemistry with Hugo Ekitike.

Salah has made a slow start to the new campaign, registering just five shots and scoring just once in four matches, and some, like former Reds midfielder Didi Hamann, have questioned whether the 33-year-old's age is finally catching up to him.

Hamann highlighted Salah's underwhelming display in the recent 1-0 win over Arsenal, where the forward's touch deserted him in key moments.

When you're in the game, you make good decisions."

Salah's powers may be on the wane, according to Hamann(Image: Getty Images)

Hamann speculated that Salah's lack of involvement could have led to overcompensation, forcing him to attempt something spectacular in limited opportunities.

Late goals were required to seal wins over Bournemouth and Newcastle, while against Arsenal, it was Dominik Szoboszlai's stunning free-kick that tipped the balance in a gritty 1-0 triumph at Anfield.

Didi Hamann thinks Slot should consider dropping Salah(Image: Corbis via Getty Images)

Ekitike, 23, has made an immediate impact, scoring in his first two league outings as well as in the Community Shield, but Salah has revealed that their on-pitch partnership is still a work in progress.

Now, with 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha, who announced himself with a stunning injury-time winner against Newcastle to become Liverpool's youngest-ever scorer, pressing for more minutes, and Isak's arrival adding genuine depth, Slot is hardly short of options.

Arne Slot has some thinking to do over the international break(Image: Getty Images)

The real challenge lies in striking the balance: get it right, and Liverpool stay ahead of the pack, but misstep, and the door swings open for their title rivals.

Dropping Salah, even temporarily, would be a bold call - after all, the Egyptian has been virtually ever-present and injury-free throughout his Anfield tenure.

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