Liverpool may be set for awkward Mohamed Salah farewell as Arne Slot faces unthinkable choice

Saturday's trip to Manchester City represented the beginning of the end for one of Liverpool's all-time greats. Sadly, his chances of bowing out in style look unlikely

Mohamed Salah's Liverpool farewell began in awkward fashion, but worse still could be yet to come for the Egyptian

One down. Nine to go. On the evidence of Saturday, Mohamed Salah’s prolonged Liverpool goodbye could become excruciatingly uncomfortable.

No doubt, when he posted that bombshell update almost two weeks ago, confirming this will be his final campaign on Merseyside, Salah envisaged a virtuoso, game-winning display at the Etihad as he guided the Reds on to Wembley and perhaps one final hurrah.

Yet the reality couldn’t be more detached from those fanciful notions. In fact, the 4-0 mauling at the hands of Manchester City will rank among Salah’s most galling experiences for the club he has served so admirably for nearly a decade.

If the result alone, against your greatest rival, wasn’t disheartening enough, suffering the indignity of a missed penalty and the sight of a shot whizzing out for a throw-in ensured this was a miserable start to Salah’s great finale.

Admittedly, the latter effort did take a slight deflection off Abdukodir Khusanov, but Salah’s labored reaction, heavy touch and then miscued shot, all within a few seconds, embodied the 33-year-old’s woeful campaign. His decline ranks among the Premier League’s most rapid and dumbfounding individual drop-offs.

It is remarkable that a little over a year ago, Salah starred with a goal and assist as the would-be champions easily dispatched Pep Guardiola’s disjointed side at the Etihad. There’s a wider point to be made on squad recruitment - and it should not be overlooked how City’s starting line-up on Saturday contained two players Liverpool opted against signing in January.

The squad rebuild undertaken by Richard Hughes, Michael Edwards, Arne Slot and co perhaps sits at the top of an ever-growing list of Liverpool problems that have derailed this season. Replacing Salah’s goal contributions is up there, too.

Saturday's game against Man City was another dismal afternoon for Salah

He provided a remarkable 47 in the Premier League last term, the highest ever from an individual in a 38-game campaign, and the overdependence on Salah’s goals and assists was mentioned in passing last season.

Ultimately, what did it matter when the insatiable winger simply did not stop scoring? And yet the roots of Salah’s demise first took hold in the final stages of last season, when he produced just two goals and a single assist in his last nine league matches.

Having managed 27 and 18 in the first 29 games, that is a staggering downgrade, one that cost him the records of the most goals, assists and goal contributions in a single Premier League campaign.

That was mainly attributed to Liverpool’s lack of collective incentive as it closed in on, and then secured, a record-equalling 20th title. Yet no such justifications can be made this term.

Salah's standards have dropped markedly this season(Image: PA)

The sad reality is that he offers next to nothing. Salah is weak in possession, lacks any sort of incision or an ability to bypass a player, all while his once-great penchant for creating chances and, most crucially, finishing them himself, has deserted him.

He has scored four non-penalty Premier League goals this term, a number defenders Malick Thiaw and Cristian Romero have matched. He has also netted 10 in all competitions, a terrible regression from his previous worst tally of 23 in a Liverpool season.

Salah’s successful dribbles for the campaign come in at a miserable 22.6 percent, while against City he won just half of his 10 aerial duels. This, for a man who routinely shrugged off defenders, was unthinkable a few years ago.

It’s difficult to conclude Salah’s place in the starting line-up is based on anything more than legacy at this stage, unless Slot is merely looking to usher him out the door with minimal fuss.

Slot and Salah's futures could be inextricably tied

The question remains whether the Liverpool head coach will also have to pack his bags in the summer. Salah’s performances could yet decide the fate of the man he publicly rebuked four months ago. Unthinkable as it may feel, dropping the Egyptian may be Slot’s best course of action, even if he can rely upon few squad alternatives.

Salah’s presence certainly makes Liverpool’s ability to assemble an effective attacking unit even more complicated. In time, it could be Slot and the team’s downfall.

For now, the attention remains on the cup competitions, as Salah looks to Paris, aiming to ensure his Liverpool swansong delivers a trophy rather than a meek farewell at home to Brentford on the final day of the league season.

As a Liverpool icon, Salah will want to bow out in style. But his continued selection by Slot makes that increasingly unlikely.