Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net

Liverpool are preparing to defend their title and Arne Slot will have to be ruthless at times if they are to achieve just that.

The Reds have the job of raising the curtain on the new Premier League season, with this getting underway on Friday 15th August.

Although they have made some rather big moves in the transfer market and show no signs of stopping, they still have some work to do and changes to make before beginning their defence.

Their final preparation game also highlighted some of the issues too, with Liverpool losing on penalties to Crystal Palace in the Community Shield.

There was also one thing in particular that many fans took note of and it might indicate a change is needed, although it would certainly cause a stir if Arne Slot did try to shake things up.

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

Liverpool are absolutely blessed to have Mohamed Salah in their team, with the Egyptian being their best player ever since he joined really.

In fact, he was so good during his debut campaign in 2017 that he was given the privilege of being their regular penalty taker the following year, with the winger having this role ever since.

However, he skied his penalty over the bar in the shootout against Palace, making it the second time in just a week that he has seen one of his spot kicks sail high and wide.

MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES

Of course, it is still technically pre-season and missing a penalty is not the end of the world, however it is safe to say that the Egyptian has never been totally convincing from 12 yards.

READ MORE: Whether Ryan Gravenberch will be back for Liverpool against Bournemouth after missing Community Shield

Salah has missed nine penalties for Liverpool in his career, with a fair few failing to even hit the target, just like his ones against Athletic Bilbao and Palace alike.

For someone who is widely regarded as one of the best strikers of the ball in world football, it is tricky to see how he struggles from such close range, with this miss indicating that it might be time for someone a little different.

Of course, it is a risky move and it will not go down well, mainly due to the fact that Salah is the star player who has taken them for the past seven years, but these types of things can cost you games.

There are plenty of other candidates who could take a penalty for Liverpool, but there are a few that stand out the most.

Although he missed against Crystal Palace, Alexis Mac Allister sometimes took them in Salah’s absence, suggesting he would be next in line.

Cody Gakpo, however, has made a real case as to why he should as he scored his brilliantly at Wembley, as well as scoring the only one he took last season.

The likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and Hugo Ekitike could be in with an outsider chance, and so too could captain Virgil van Dijk, although Salah probably should be given at least one more chance to show why he is on them.