There was plenty to feel positive about from Liverpool’s 2-0 win at home to Brighton, but has Mohamed Salah played his last game for the club?
The Premier League champions picked up three much-needed points on Saturday, thanks to Hugo Ekitike‘s well-taken double.
Here, This is Anfield’s Henry Jackson (@HenryJackson87) and The Redmen TV’s Dan Clubbe (@dan_clubbe) discuss a positive day for Liverpool and Salah’s future at Anfield.
The good
DAN: Three more Premier League points and unbeaten in five!
A few weeks back, I’d have scoffed at such a run and hankered for a more swashbuckling performance, but as things stand, I’ll take them as they come.
In terms of the overall display, there appeared to me more fluidity in attack and slightly more collective solidity in defence.
Certain individuals have certainly raised their game in the last fortnight – Jones and Ekitike stand out, and dare I say even the much-maligned Ibou has looked slightly more composed.
HENRY No defeats in five – it all feels a bit happier, doesn’t it?
The performance may not have been a classic, but the Reds got the job done and showed that they are still playing for Slot.
I’m with Dan that Ekitike and Jones were the best players – what a signing Hugo is looking. He just has that X-factor.
Jones has added a lot to the midfield of late, too, and looks a more mature player than he ever has.
Seeing Mo back in the squad, and on the pitch, was clearly great, too. God I hope he stays.
The bad
DAN: Note how I didn’t mention the clean sheet in the good. This was a clean sheet by name only.
Fortunately, Ali is boss and Brighton left their shooting books on the south coast because the ease with which they got between our lines and into dangerous areas was still a little alarming.
It’s not quite crisis mode yet with injuries, but fast approaching it.
Gomez has been superb recently and we can’t seem to keep a right-back fit, so any layoff would be a hard pill to swallow.
Fingers crossed we get positive news on Szoboszlai.
HENRY The Gomez injury was a rare negative – the poor guy just cannot catch a break.
Losing Dom, easily our best player this season, for the festive period would also be a massive blow.
As Dan says, it was still too easy for Brighton to create chances, and on another day, the result could have been very different.
But I’ve had enough of moaning recently, so it’s wrong to focus on too many negatives!
Has Salah played his final game for Liverpool?
DAN: Whatever Salah’s send-off was, it was just nice to see him out there, doing things slightly resembling him!
I didn’t read much into the serenading of him post-match. If this were to be goodbye, I feel like he would’ve gone a step further.
Inclusion in the squad, and an introduction inside 20-odd minutes, feels like an olive branch from Slot and the club, so I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Mo just yet.
There was enough from his performance to give hope that we can at least kick the can down the road until the summer.
HENRY I’m actually very torn – my head says he could still leave but my heart says he’s staying.
I agree with Dan that it would have been a more emotional goodbye if Mo was off, which gives me hope.
He is still clearly a player well short of his best, but Liverpool will always be better for having him around.
Hopefully, AFCON sorts him out and he returns in much better form, which admittedly often doesn’t happen when he plays in it.
