Mohamed Salah has been the first name on the Liverpool team sheet for almost a decade.
But recent stats suggests that needs to change if struggling manager Arne Slot wants to get back to winning ways.
Defeat by Bournemouth at the weekend heaped further pressure on Slot and he is now favourite in the Premier League sack race odds.
However, it’s stats surrounding Salah which could prove to be the answer to Slot’s woes.
With the ‘Egyptian King’ losing seven of his previous eight Premier League starts.
The Dirk Kuyt Curse: A Historic Low
The last Liverpool player to endure such a horrible run of games was Dirk Kuyt towards the end of his Liverpool career.
The Dutchman lost seven of his final eight starts at the club before leaving the Reds in 2012.
While it could be considered a coincidence. The stats are there to back up the downfall of Salah.
It’s a tough conversation for many to have, but his output has fallen off a cliff.
Last season, he boasted 52 goal involvements. This term, his shooting accuracy has plummeted from 78.9% to 55.6% , and his expected goals (xG) per 90 has effectively halved from 0.63 to 0.32 .
The ‘Trent’ Factor and Tactical Predictability
The departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid in the summer appears to have hit Salah harder than any other player.
Last season, the pair combined for 147 line-breaking passes – the highest of any duo in the league.
Without him, Salah has become isolated and predictable.
The data shows a player who is seeing less of the ball in dangerous areas and losing it more frequently when he does receive it.
His successful dribble rate of just 20% suggests that full-backs no longer fear the 33-year-old in one-on-one situations.
Better Without the Egyptian King?
While Salah was away at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and during periods of rotation, Arne Slot’s side has looked more balanced.
Stats indicate Liverpool’s win ratio without Salah as a starter this season actually sits higher than with him ( 64.8% vs 62.9% ).
Although that stat is marginal, their points-per-game average actually increases by 18% when the Egyptian is removed from the starting lineup.
Without the need to funnel every attack through the right wing, Liverpool have enjoyed a larger ‘team influence’ in games.
The Verdict: Sentiment vs. Success
Arne Slot has proven himself to be a pragmatist, but dropping a player of Salah’s stature requires immense courage.
However, the numbers are no longer an anomaly, they are a trend.
In a season where Liverpool have slipped out of the top three and are fighting to remain in the Champions League places, they can no longer afford to carry a “passenger” based on past glories.
If Liverpool are to salvage their campaign, the “Egyptian King” must be moved to the bench, allowing a more mobile, high-pressing front three to lead the line.
Former player Xabi Alonso is waiting in the wings as favourite in the next Liverpool manager odds if Slot is unable to make that decision.
