Mohamed Salah has been left out of the starting XI for Liverpool’s must-win Premier League game against West Ham on Saturday.
The Reds kick off the Premier League weekend at 12.30pm at the London Stadium knowing they need a victory to get back on track following a hugely damaging defeat against Everton on Wednesday. Jurgen Klopp’s side have fallen behind Arsenal and Manchester City in the title race and are desperate for victory in east London.
Salah returned to the starting line-up for the Merseyside Derby, having been dropped for the trip to Fulham last weekend. But after failing to make an impact against Everton, he has returned to the substitutes’ bench, with Klopp preferring to start with Harvey Elliott, while Darwin Nunez, Ibrahima Konate, Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai also dropped from the Everton game.
Liverpool XI vs West Ham: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Quansah, Robertson; Endo, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Elliott, Diaz, Gakpo.
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Salah has 24 goals and 13 assists in 40 games this season, yet there is a feeling he has fallen behind his usual sky-high standards. With his contract expiring in June 2025 and Klopp leaving in the summer, there has been a suggestion that Salah could be set for a big-money move to Saudi Arabia.
"There is a real discussion for the new manager about what the future holds for Mo Salah – it's the first time we've asked that question. He only has a year to go on his contract,” Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports after the Merseyside Derby.
"He's looked a shadow of himself for a lot of this season but especially since he's come back from injury. He is Liverpool's legend, superstar, one of the all-time greats. But he's been so far off it."
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Klopp defended Salah after Liverpool were knocked out of the Europa League by Atalanta. “I am not particularly concerned,” Klopp told reporters when asked about Salah’s form.
“That’s what strikers do, that’s what happens to strikers, that’s how it is. We have to go through this, he has to go through that. He is one of the most experienced players we have in the squad. We will go through that but that’s pretty much all.
“It’s not that Mo [Salah] didn’t miss chances before in his life, that’s a part of the game. The penalty was super-convincing, a super penalty, then the next chance, that was obviously unlucky but it is not the first time he missed a chance like that.”
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