2 weeks ago
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Arne Slot has been urged to drop Mohamed Salah in favor of building a forward line for the future, amid the Egyptian's poor start to the season.
Salah has looked like a shadow of the player that was the favorite to win the 2025 Ballon d'Or at the start of the calendar year, and has not scored a goal from open play in the Premier League since the opening game of the season. The 33-year-old spurned a presentable chance against Manchester United at the weekend, which summed up his waning influence on the team.
Big-money summer signings Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz both started the game against United on the bench and had a positive impact after coming on in the second half, despite the final result.
And former Liverpool player John Aldridge believes it's time for Slot to start thinking about building Liverpool's attack around those two players, as well as Premier League record signing Alexander Isak.
"For my money, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak are the future of the club," Aldridge said in his column for the Liverpool Echo. "It's why they've been brought in at great cost and they have all signed long-term deals.
"So Slot has to find a way to get all three in the side and get them to establish the sort of relationships that could last years.
"Isak should lead the line. We know he hasn't played much but now is the time to start to show why the club moved heaven and earth for him in the summer.
"I said in last week's column that now is the time to start looking at him as close to 100 percent as possible and he needs the time to show how good we know he is.
"He showed at Newcastle United exactly why he was so feared in the Premier League but the pressure is on him currently. He's a great striker but it's time to start showing it in Liverpool red now.
"Wirtz made an impact against Manchester United and the manager has to find a place in the team for him now.
"The creative midfielder has done okay generally but you are still waiting for him to come to the party and Ekitike has so far been the only summer signing who has shown what he is really all about.
"So Ekitike has to start against his former club. We know Mohamed Salah has not quite been at it so far this season and we know he is feeling the loss of his good mate, Diogo Jota.
"It could be a good time to bring him out the firing line for a game or two.
"There is a world-class forward line at Liverpool but finding the balance is the major one for Slot to get right now. This is a massive period for the manager, make no mistake."
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