Anfield Analysis
As Liverpool prepares to face Barnsley in the third round of the FA Cup on Monday, they must remain vigilant to avoid any chance of a shocking upset. A victory for Arne Slot’s team would mark their eleventh consecutive match without defeat, following a commendable 0-0 draw against Arsenal in North London midweek. It appears they have put their earlier struggles in November behind them and are beginning to regain their form.
This refreshed Liverpool lineup looks distinct with recent summer signings adding depth, but perhaps the most notable absence is Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian international has been unavailable due to AFCON duty since late December, compounded by a run of poor performances that saw him spend more time on the bench. Surprisingly, Slot’s team has noticeably improved in Salah’s absence.
Salah has missed seven Premier League matches this season, and impressively, Liverpool has avoided defeat in all of them. While some results haven’t been ideal, such as the 2-2 draw with Fulham and a disappointing double-header against Leeds that yielded just two points, the team has enjoyed victories over West Ham, Tottenham, and Wolves, along with the unexpected draw against Arsenal. Notably, Salah has been part of the squad in only one league draw this season, while Liverpool has suffered six losses in the 14 matches in which he either started or came off the bench.
Analyzing Liverpool’s performance with and without Salah reveals some intriguing insights. As illustrated in the graphic above, the club is conceding fewer goals and scoring slightly more in his absence. Most significantly, their points per game has risen by 18% without him. In the league standings, after 12 matchdays where Salah played every game without being substituted, Liverpool was positioned twelfth. Since reducing his involvement to just two matches over nine league games, the team has dramatically climbed to fourth place in the table.
Whether Salah’s absence is the key factor behind Liverpool’s resurgence is certainly debatable. Given Salah’s impressive track record at Anfield, it’s understandable that fans might be reluctant to see him sidelined for too long. However, it’s clear that something has shifted for Slot’s team recently. It will be intriguing to see if the Liverpool manager chooses to maintain his successful strategy when Salah returns from international duty or seeks to integrate his star player into the lineup as the season progresses.
