Arne Slot's plan for his Liverpool team is crystal clear, but Mohamed Salah is making it complicated - opinion

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Arne Slot has work to do in order to make the most out of his supremely talented Liverpool squad this season.The Reds are in a poor moment having lost their past two matches, something they have only done once before under Slot’s management.While the results are of course frustrating, the performances Liverpool have been subjecting their fans to since the beginning of the season are genuinely concerning.There is a strong argument that, despite winning each of their first seven matches in all competitions, Liverpool have not played consistently well for a full 90 minutes in 2025/26.Within that, individuals have come under the spotlight. Having scored just one non-penalty goal in the Premier League so far this season, Mohamed Salah is one of those causing some alarm.Liverpool changed their attack this summer, with Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike arriving, as well as Florian Wirtz.

In our opinion, however, there is a clear idea, the problem is that it does not include Salah.Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty ImagesArne Slot wants to play a diamond formationMost of the question marks surrounding Liverpool’s attack this season have been over how best to get Ekitike and Isak into the same team together.The accepted thinking is that to do this, Liverpool will probably have to ask one of the two strikers to play out wide.READ MORE: Four Liverpool players singled out for ‘shaky and uncertain’ Galatasaray displayWhile that may be the case for now, we’d argue that Slot really signed both players to feature in their favoured central positions.With Wirtz arriving as a pure number ten, it feels fairly obvious to put Ekitike and Isak through the middle and Wirtz just in behind supplying them.The problem then arises in the fact that there is then no place for Salah in the team. As Liverpool’s most consistent scorer and an all-time legend of the club, the Egyptian should be guaranteed of a place in Slot’s line up.But the issue here is that the Liverpool head coach has bought players who all function best in a system that does not really allow for Salah.Once the 33-year-old leaves for AFCON in December, supporters may get a glimpse into the plan Slot seems to have put together without his star forward.4-3-1-2 helps Liverpool’s midfield to functionEven more than setting Liverpool up with what looks like a lethal attack in Ekitike, Wirtz and Isak, playing these three in front of three more midfield players would shore up the Reds’ midfield.That way, Slot could get all four of Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wirtz in the same team – and all in their best positions.Without wingers blocking their way, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and/or Conor Bradley could then raid forward, safe in the knowledge that they have three midfielders covering them.This all just makes sense for Liverpool, but the need to make room for Salah is disrupting the plan and having knock-on effects all over the pitch.

But while Salah remains at the club, Slot is going to have to come up with a different idea. Perhaps Salah can be one of the two most central forwards?