Jurgen Klopp is considering the option of resting Mohamed Salah for tonight’s Champions League game with Benfica.
According to The Times, the Liverpool boss is ‘weighing up’ whether or not Salah will start the match at Anfield.
The report claims that Klopp is deciding if he should take the Egyptian ‘out of the firing line’ as Liverpool aim to to make it to the semi-final this evening.
Salah has started all nine of The Reds games in this years continental competition, scoring eight times. His run of consecutive starts looks like it could be in jeopardy tonight, though.
Mo struggles to get going
Salah’s disappointing form since returning from a draining AFCON tournament in February has been well documented.
The 29-year-old has scored just five times in the 13 games he has played for Liverpool since losing the final of the competition to Sadio Mane’s Senegal.
That doesn’t sound too bad-a-record on the face of it. When you take into account the fact that three of those goals have been penalties though, it starts to look a little worrying.
More than his lack of attacking contribution though is his all-round game. Mo has really struggled to get into any games over the last couple of months.
As some of his teammates have shone around him, Salah hasn’t been able to get going.
Time for a rest
Liverpool have big games coming so often now that there won’t be many opportunities to give the Egyptian the rest he really looks like he needs.
He may be out of form, but he’s still a crucial part of the team. His brilliance earlier in the season surely made him the best player in the world at the time.
Mo bagged his 150th goal for Liverpool in February. The feat led to Klopp calling him ‘outstanding’ via BBC Sport. That his tally for The Reds has swelled by just three more since then is a real surprise.
There is still every chance that Salah will be able to play himself back into form. With Liverpool holding 3-1 lead going into tonight though, now might be the best chance Klopp will get to allow him a small reset.
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