Arne Slot told Mo Salah is now a PROBLEM

Liverpool have entered the international window on the back of three consecutive defeats.

It’s the first time during Arne Slot’s management that the Reds have suffered that fate and they will no doubt be hoping to realign their season against Manchester United on October 19.

One of the most prominent issues that the Premier League champions need to sort out concerns Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian King has got three goals and three assists across 10 appearances in all competitions but there is something not quite right at present.

It seems as though the 33-year-old is struggling for involvement in games and his defensive contributions have also been brought under scrutiny.

Liverpool taking punishment down right side

The defeat to Chelsea saw Enzo Maresca’s side utilise Marc Cucurella high up on the Blues’ left-hand side - putting the likes of Conor Bradley and Dominik Szoboszlai under pressure in the right-back slot.

Too often the Reds’ defenders on that side were facing a mismatch in terms of numbers - as Salah lingered further forward awaiting the ball in transition.

But Liverpool are malfunctioning right now and Salah was more often than not left isolated without the ball while the pressure piled up on his defensive colleagues.

That was a point noted by former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy - who claimed that Salah’s work off the ball is becoming “a problem” for Slot.

Murphy: Salah a problem

“It feels like Mohamed Salah's lack of defensive work has become a little problem for Liverpool, especially against the better teams,” he said to the BBC.

“I can totally understand if Reds boss Arne Slot has told Salah not to track back, because waiting high up the pitch on the right for the transition has made him one of the most potent goalscorers in the world.

“But the players behind him are not covering him correctly and that has caused a lot of issues for whoever has been at right-back this season.

“Whether that's been Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley or Dominik Szoboszlai, they are in trouble because they are facing a 2v1 overload down their side. It was a real weakness on Saturday, which led to Chelsea's winner - and the concern must be that more teams will be clever enough to do the same.

“The other players have to be able to help more, and quicker, because it felt like Chelsea were working the ball forwards and then shifting it out to their left, because that's where the space was.”

The club could soon have a decision to make over their top goalscorer - who is contracted until 2027.

He will be turning 35 by the time that contract expires and there remains an opportunity to cash in next summer if his form fails to turn around.

No doubt Saudi clubs would be interested in adding Salah to the ranks and it would also allow Richard Hughes to make back some money on the former Roma player - who is now making £400k per week.

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