The ex-Liverpool star behind Mohamed Salah’s shocking drop in form

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Mohamed Salah has underwhelmed at Liverpool at the start of the season in comparison to his usual high standards.

The Egyptian finished fourth in the Ballon d’Or rankings for his efforts last year and has every right to feel wronged after almost single-handedly carrying the Reds to their 20th league title.

He also claimed the Golden Boot and Playmaker awards for the second time at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, becoming the first player in Premier League history to do so.

Salah has not been horrendous by any means; he has scored three goals and added three assists in his last eight outings.

However, Salah has not adhered to his usual standards thus far, and while many have speculated around the reasoning behind this, it can, in fact, be attributed to a player who left Anfield this summer.

Mohamed Salah misses Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool

According to The Athletic, Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold played the most one-two passes between them in the Premier League since the 2018/19 season.

The pair combined for 39 one-two passes over the past five years they played together at Anfield, one ahead of Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, with Salah and Roberto Firmino in third.

Trent is unpopular among Liverpool fans due to the nature of his departure to Real Madrid upon the expiry of his contract.

However, Trent named Salah as his best friend at the club, and the pair certainly enjoyed a lot of success together on Merseyside.

Furthermore, Liverpool engaged in the most one-two passes, averaging 5.1 per 1000 passes under Arne Slot last season, while the players have opted more for crossing the ball into the box this term.

It is abundantly clear that Trent’s absence is having a profound effect on Salah’s displays this year, but the more gruelling concern is that the Reds have seemingly moved away from playing to the Egyptian’s strengths.

Salah has played the third most one-twos in the Premier League since the 2018/19 season, albeit there is far more to his game than this one aspect.

However, this is clearly where the forward thrives, and Slot must instruct his players to play one-twos more to help Salah rediscover his best form.

Trent Alexander-Arnold loved playing with Mohamed Salah

With Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley battling to become Trent’s successor at Anfield, the pair now know what they need to do to stake a serious claim for a starting berth.

Both are more inclined to hit crosses into the opposition box at any given opportunity; whereas, if either of them can help Salah return to his best, they will surely be considered the number one starter at right-back.

Trent loved playing with Salah as the stats show, and the Scouser described his former teammate as one of the most consistent players he has ever seen.

“Mo Salah’s consistency – from the moment he came into the team to the moment of today, the most consistent player I have ever, ever, ever seen, if am honest, and to witness it on a daily basis is a privilege to say the least.

“For everyone in the team, whether you are older than him, younger than him, he’s the person you look at for consistency, the way he looks after his body, the way he looks after himself, the way he game after game will get goals and assists and win those games and do special things, and he is incredible.”