The Etihad Stadium witnessed a stark reality on Sunday as Manchester City dismantled Liverpool with a decisive 3-0 victory. It marked a significant milestone for Pep Guardiola – his 1000th game as a manager – but spelled further trouble for Arne Slot and a Liverpool side now languishing in eighth place, a worrying eight points adrift of league leaders Arsenal.
Erling Haaland, Nico Gonzalez, and Jeremy Doku each found the net, but the performance ignited a fresh wave of scrutiny focused on Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian forward, once a seemingly untouchable force, is facing mounting criticism for a perceived lack of defensive contribution.
Football pundit Wayne Rooney didn’t hesitate to pinpoint Salah’s shortcomings, specifically highlighting his failure to support right-back Conor Bradley against the relentless attacks of Doku. Bradley endured a difficult afternoon, repeatedly isolated as Doku exploited the space.
Rooney argued that Salah, a player expected to both score and create, has a responsibility to track back and assist teammates in crucial moments. The imbalance created by Salah’s absence defensively left Bradley exposed and forced others to cover, ultimately creating vulnerabilities elsewhere on the pitch.
This season has been a stark contrast to Salah’s previous brilliance. With only four goals in eleven Premier League matches, his form is a shadow of the player who terrorized defenses last season. The drop in goals is amplifying scrutiny on other facets of his game.
The narrative is simple: consistent goals often mask other deficiencies. Last season, Salah’s phenomenal tally of 29 Premier League goals and 18 assists propelled Liverpool to a league title. This year, the goals haven’t come, and the spotlight has shifted.
Liverpool’s overall struggles this season are inextricably linked to Salah’s dip in form. The team is finding it difficult to compete with the pace set by Arsenal and Manchester City, and the lack of firepower from their star attacker is a significant contributing factor.
The criticism from Rooney isn’t isolated. Other voices, like Gary Neville, have also expressed concern, suggesting that Salah appeared overwhelmed at times during the match against City, lacking the usual intensity and dominance.
The pressure is mounting on Salah to rediscover his form and contribute not just offensively, but also defensively, if Liverpool hope to salvage their season and return to the Premier League’s summit.
