Teamwork makes the dream work

Liverpool flop is the primary participant FSG should bin this summer time

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Liverpool beat West Ham United 5-2 at Anfield within the Premier League on Saturday and Mohamed Salah got here away from the sport with out a objective or an help to point out for his efforts.

In reality, the correct winger performed the total 90 minutes with out registering a single shot heading in the right direction or creating any probabilities for his teammates towards the Hammers, regardless of the snug victory for Arne Slot‘s aspect.

Hugo Ekitike was in wonderful type, scoring one objective and offering two assists, and Cody Gakpo even obtained himself on the scoresheet for the primary time for the reason that Champions League win over Marseille in January.

Salah has now solely scored two objectives in his final 16 appearances for the Reds in all competitions, a run that stretches again to the 1-0 win over Actual Madrid at the beginning of November.

The skilled ahead went off to play for Egypt on the African Cup of Nations throughout that point, in fact, however a return of two objectives for the reason that begin of November is just not a run of type that supporters anticipate from the 33-year-old celebrity.

Why Liverpool should not promote Mo Salah this summer time

BBC Sport studies that an exit for the winger in the summertime switch window is ‘more and more possible’, however a transfer depends upon whether or not the groups from the MLS and Saudi Arabia are prepared to pay his wage calls for.

On the face of it, promoting 33-year-old Salah after a poor run of type in entrance of objective might look like the correct transfer to make this summer time, however that will not be the case.

His objective output is not so good as it as soon as was, scoring 4 objectives within the Premier League after a return of 29 final time period, however he’s nonetheless a key inventive determine for Slot.

The left-footed star has created essentially the most ‘massive probabilities’ (ten) and offered essentially the most assists (six) within the Premier League this season for the Reds, with 4 assists in his final eight video games in all competitions.

Salah stays a key and influential participant for the Dutch head coach, regardless of his struggles as a goalscorer, which is why the membership ought to retain his providers, additionally within the hope that he returns to his finest as a scorer, for the 2026/27 marketing campaign.

The primary participant Liverpool ought to promote this summer time

While Salah’s output as a goalscorer has evidently dropped off, there’s a Liverpool participant whose performances this season have been even worse than the Egyptian’s, which is why they need to be the primary participant bought this summer time.

Mohamed Salah for Liverpool

Joe Gomez was chosen to start out at right-back towards the Hammers in his fifth begin of the Premier League season, and he didn’t put in a powerful show.

The previous England worldwide misplaced 5 of his seven floor duels and two of his three aerial duels in 77 minutes on the pitch, which exhibits that the opposition gamers discovered it too straightforward to get the higher of him.

That has been the case all through the 2025/26 Premier League season. Gomez has misplaced a whopping 71% of his floor duels throughout 14 appearances within the league, the worst floor duel loss proportion out of all defenders within the squad.

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez

The 28-year-old defender, who additionally solely performed 9 league video games final time period, has additionally gained simply 50% of his aerial battles within the division, which is pretty underwhelming for a participant whose favoured place is centre-back.

Gomez has been a bit-part participant for almost all of his Liverpool profession, partially right down to lacking a whopping 211 video games by way of harm for the reason that 2015/16 season, and it could lastly be time for a change of surroundings.

Joe Gomez’s Premier League profession

Season

Video games performed

25/26

14 / 38

24/25

9 / 38

23/24

32 / 38

22/23

21 / 38

21/22

8 / 38

20/21

7 / 38

19/20

28 / 38

18/19

16 / 38

17/18

23 / 38

16/17

0 / 38

15/16

5 / 38

The previous England worldwide isn’t accessible for choice and, particularly this season, has not carried out significantly effectively when he has been known as upon by Slot.

With Geovanni Leoni resulting from return from his knee harm later this 12 months, the summer time switch window might be the proper time for the membership to lastly half methods with Gomez, who was described as “sloppy” in possession by journalist Josh Bunting earlier this season.

Joe Gomez warming up for Liverpool

He may have 12 months left on his contract, which expires in the summertime of 2027, and that signifies that it will be Liverpool’s final probability to get a full-price supply for the defender, as he can be accessible for pre-contract offers in January of subsequent 12 months.

Gomez, not like Salah has together with his creativity, has not executed sufficient to make up for the weaknesses in his recreation and must be the primary participant to be cashed in on this summer time.

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