Of all the differences between Liverpool’s Premier League-winning campaign last season and their current position in sixth with more than two-thirds of this season played, Mohamed Salah’s underwhelming output stands near the top of the list.
The Egyptian King has gone from matching the league’s single-season record for goal contributions to struggling immensely by his own lofty standards, managing just 10 G/A across the Reds’ 26 PL fixtures so far.
Other issues, such as wildly inconsistent defending and a slew of injuries across the squad, have clearly plagued the club as well.
But when Arne Slot's tactics made it clear that Salah was the primary engine of the attack last season, it’s no surprise that both his form and the team’s results have dipped in tandem.
However, recent performances from both the player and the club have offered a glimmer of hope that Liverpool can still salvage something from an otherwise disappointing campaign.
Since returning from AFCON duty, Salah has shown signs of rediscovering top form, giving reason to believe that he and the squad can recapture some of the magic from 2024/25—perhaps enough to secure Champions League qualification and maybe even lift a trophy.
A post-AFCON boost
Salah may have fallen just short in his pursuit of an AFCON trophy, but the tournament seemed to pay personal dividends, as he notched five goals or assists in seven games—one of his hottest stretches of the season.
Since returning from continental duty with Egypt, that form seems to have followed him back to English soil, as he has registered six goal involvements across Liverpool’s last six Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup matches.
He may not have scored from open play during this stretch, but Salah has mightily excelled in two areas in particular: service and set pieces.
With each passing game, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the manager has asked Salah to temper his goal-scoring expectations and instead focus on creating for his teammates—and it’s hard to argue that the approach hasn’t been sensible so far.
Between supplying Dominik Szoboszlai with assists against Bournemouth and Brighton, threading a clever pass to set up Florian Wirtz for a first-time finish versus Newcastle, and whipping in a sublime corner delivery against Sunderland, Salah is reminding everyone exactly why he claimed last season’s Playmaker of the Season award with 18 helpers.
There also appears to be a clear throughline between Salah’s resurgence and the Reds’ sudden improvement from set pieces—an area that had been downright frustrating to watch for much of the season.
On top of his aforementioned flick to set up Szoboszlai’s free-kick screamer against the Cherries and his expertly curled corner versus the Seagulls, Salah thundered home a magnificent strike from a dead-ball situation against Qarabag and excellently converted the penalty he earned against Brighton—a goal that also marked his first G+A performance for Liverpool since Sept. 17 against Atlético.
Sure, Liverpool fans are still waiting for the Egyptian King to score his first non-set piece goal since Nov. 1, but given how much the Reds have missed his peak playmaking—especially with Cody Gakpo contributing little on the opposite wing—it’s hard not to be pleased with this recent upturn in form.
Rebuilding confidence—for himself and the fans
Beyond Salah’s obvious impact on the scoresheet over Liverpool’s last six matches, his recent form seems to have ignited something in both himself and the fans.
There is a belief that the Egyptian King and the Reds can give everything and achieve something special by the end of the season.
As he left the pitch after his dazzling performance against Brighton, Salah was met with a standing ovation from the Anfield crowd—something many had wondered if they’d ever see again after his incendiary comments following a disappointing draw with Leeds back in December.
As we’ve seen with Wirtz’s turnaround this season, confidence and self-belief are invaluable in achieving greatness in football.
After the outpouring of support he received from the Kopites last time out, there’s strong reason to believe Salah will now back himself to perform consistently through to the end of the season.
This was also evident in his eagerness to take the penalty against Brighton after doing brilliant work to earn it in the first place.
Sure, with the match already 2-0 late on, it wasn’t the highest-pressure moment—but given Szoboszlai’s incredible recent run of dead-ball goals, I half-expected Salah to hand the ball over to the Hungarian.
Still, Mo kept it for himself, and the result was scintillating—he rocketed the ball into the top-right corner with a strike no goalkeeper in the world could have stopped.
As mentioned earlier, Liverpool will need to perform at a high level across the board to secure a top-five finish or claim some silverware.
But if Salah can maintain this resurgence in goal contributions through to the final game of the season, it would be a huge boost for a team desperate for at least one bright moment amid what has been one of their most challenging campaigns in recent memory.