'Liverpool has a major advantage over PSG and Arne Slot must avoid major Mohamed Salah mistake'

Liverpool faces Man City, PSG and Fulham this week in a defining period for Arne Slot's side, with Mohamed Salah hoping to fire the Reds to a strong finish to his Anfield career

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah during a Champions League game.(Image: Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

Liverpool is entering a huge period of the season, where Arne Slot's men will have some decisive games. That all starts this weekend with the trip to Manchester City.

Mohamed Salah will head to the Etihad Stadium for the final time — as a Liverpool player at least — and that narrative could be set to repeat itself a few times in the last stretch of fixtures.

After that comes a double-header with PSG, sandwiched by a must-win clash at home to Fulham in the Premier League. Ahead of a massive week, we caught up with Florida-based Liverpool fan Morgan O'Sullivan.

Mohamed Salah is leaving. What were your initial thoughts when he made the announcement?

"Salah has been an incredible servant for the club. He has given us all so many moments. Each season was just as good as the previous one, if not better.

"Who can forget his goal against Spurs, sitting in front of the Kop and taking that selfie? Unless we go on and win the Champions League, that should be our abiding memory of the Egyptian King. This season has been tougher for him.

"While a lot will have been made of how he handled himself in November, I feel the overall approach Liverpool have taken to games this season has contributed to what some people have said is his decline.

Mohamed Salah has been training ahead of Liverpool's clash with Manchester City in the FA Cup(Image: Getty Images)

"If Liverpool were winning and playing well consistently, would we be talking about Mohamed Salah and his decline? Father Time ultimately waits for nobody, and while it will be argued that Salah's standards dropped off this season, maybe it is just as fair to say that about the team as much as the player.

"Salah and this Liverpool team did not become poor players overnight. The personnel are largely the same as the title-winning team. Is it Father Time, or just a season where things did not happen for a whole range of reasons?"

How should Liverpool attempt to replace him this summer?

"It is impossible to replace Mohamed Salah and it would be a major mistake to seek to do that. I think that the club had already started to plan for Salah's eventual departure last summer, with the reshaping of the attacking portion of the team.

Man City manager Pep Guardiola embraces Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)

"Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak were bought to bring us into the future and I suspect we will make one more addition to this group.

"Does it need to be another club record signing? Not necessarily, but it will need to be someone who can bring about a consistency of playing and performance that has been missing this season."

Ahead of the final portion of the season, are you confident of Liverpool making the Champions League spots?

"I think we will just about make it into the Champions League spots. But it may not be as a result of our results; rather, the inability of others to capitalize when opportunities arise."

How important is the FA Cup, compared to, say, the top five race and the Champions League games with PSG?

"The FA Cup is a major piece of silverware and all of the fans want to win trophies. However, when it comes to making plans for the years ahead, and summer signings, qualifying the Champions League is what it is all about."

Anything else to mention?

"More and more people in the media are saying that Liverpool will struggle against PSG in the Champions League. The expectation of beating them is low.

"However, I think this may play to our advantage and that the team will raise their level once a European game comes around again. Liverpool have had a poor season, and no one will doubt or question that. However, when you reach the quarter-final stage of a two-legged competition, the most amazing things can happen.

"Winning the Champions League will ultimately mean that we don't look back on this year with regrets or it being the season that brought us the departure of Salah. Rather, it will be the season when number seven came home and the Egyptian King provided more great highlights along the way."