Since he joined the club in 2017, Liverpool supporters have been able to constantly rely upon the goal-scoring inevitability of Mohamed Salah.
Of the eight full seasons Salah has completed with the Reds, the Egyptian has ended as top goalscorer in each and every one.
Having had his best season yet in 2024/25, Salah had been expected to continue his wizardry for yet another campaign.
Given what has come before, he could yet do that. But after 10 games of the new year, the 33-year-old is starting to look like a spent force.
Saturday’s defeat at Chelsea was the latest in a string of desperately poor performances from Salah. He was far from alone in failing to shine, but the No. 11 is currently looking like a shadow of his former self.
While supporters are beginning to worry that Salah is spiralling into a permanent decline, former teammate Daniel Sturridge has spoken out to explain why the Liverpool legend may not be finished quite yet.
Mohamed Salah still getting used to new teammates
Salah has played with a couple of different notable forward lines during his time with Liverpool, but has constantly been the main man.
Alongside Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino he formed one of the Premier League’s most iconic trios. And yet while the other two were celebrated, Salah was always at the forefront.
READ MORE: Wayne Rooney suggests tactical reason why Mohamed Salah is struggling to score for Liverpool
As Mane and Firmino moved on, the former Chelsea man then headlined attacks including the likes of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and the late Diogo Jota.
This year, Salah is having to get used to more change, as he works out how to play with a different type of forward. Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak are far removed from what Salah is used to, and according to Sturridge, this is what is impacting on his form.
“I’m not worried because I think for me it’s him trying to understand how he can play with natural strikers and get his chances,” the former striker told Sky Sports after Saturday’s game.
“He has dropped off in terms of statistics and the level of performances we’re used to seeing from him, but what I will say is I do believe he’s trying to figure out ‘how do I play with these two strikers?’
“He’s worked with a false nine effectively in Luis Diaz who wasn’t an out-and-out striker, God rest his soul Diogo Jota was an amazing player, but he wasn’t an out-and-out striker. He played wide for Wolves at times as well, Bobby Firmino. Then you look at now, he’s working with actual centre-forwards. The space isn’t there and teams are playing deeper.”
Arne Slot needs to work out Liverpool’s best attack
Sturridge’s explanation for Salah’s current poor form likely has a large basis in the truth. However, it does not make things any easier to swallow for Liverpool fans.
Perhaps the biggest concern is that Arne Slot does not look even close to working out his best attack for the Reds.
Previously, Salah knew he was playing with Mane and Firmino every week and last season the set up would at least be the same even if the faces were occasionally different.
Unless Slot quickly finds that continuity in the forward line, these poor performances are going to continue.
The Liverpool head coach needs to pick his favoured three and stick with it. Only then are we likely to see a return to goal-scoring form for Salah and those around him.
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