3 reasons why Mohamed Salah should start for Liverpool against Manchester City (and 2 reasons why he should not)
Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah has had a stunning season so far. However, his recent form has tailed off and the 'Egyptian king' has not been at his best in the last few games.
In fact, Salah has only scored once from open play in his last 10 games for club and country and the worrying dip in form has raised some questions about his place in the starting XI.
With a crucial Premier League title deciding match against Manchester City coming up, we look at 3 reasons why Salah definitely needs to start against Pep Guardiola's side and 2 reasons why he should probably be on the bench.
Why Salah should start for Liverpool against Manchester City
#1 He is Liverpool's biggest match winner
In form or out of form, there is no denying the fact that Mohamed Salah is Liverpool's biggest match winner. The 29-year-old superstar has already scored a stunning 20 goals in the Premier League and has won Liverpool many games single-handedly this season.
Defenders always think twice about affording Salah space and his very presence on the pitch could open up space for other Liverpool forwards. The biggest players always have an impact in the biggest matches and Salah will be determined to put up a good performance in this crucial match against Manchester City.
#2 Mohamed Salah has a phenomenal record against Manchester City
Mohamed Salah always seems to lift his game against Manchester City and his record against the Cityzens is simply stunning.
In the 13 times Salah has faced City, the Egyptian has found the back of the net 7 times and assisted a further 3 goals.
7 Goals
3 Assists
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah record vs. Manchester City;
🏟 12 Games
⚽️ 7 Goals
🅰️ 3 Assists
#MCILIV|#LFC|#Liverpool|#UCL https://t.co/aB8UPXN497
In the reverse Premier League fixture at Anfield earlier this season, Salah put on a masterclass as he set up one goal and scored an absolutely brilliant solo goal in a pulsating 2-2 draw.
Salah is the man for the big occasion and there is no arguing with his record against Manchester City.
#3 Liverpool do not have a clear replacement for Mohamed Salah on the right wing
Mohamed Salah has made the right side of Liverpool's attack his own. While Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane are capable of playing on the left hand side, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino are capable of playing through the middle. There is, however, no direct replacement for Salah.
While Harvey Elliott is too young to take over the mantle at the moment, there is a significant drop in quality if the likes of Takumi Minamino or Alex Oxalade-Chamberlain play out on the right.
Both Diaz and Mane are more comfortable playing on the left, while Firmino and Jota are more suited through the middle. Quite simply put, there is no one in Liverpool who can perform like Mohamed Salah on the right wing.
Why Salah should not be in the starting XI for Liverpool against Manchester City
#1 On current form, he is not among Liverpool's top 3 attackers
Liverpool are blessed with a plethora of attacking options and on current form, Mohamed Salah is not among the top 3 attackers at the club.
Diogo Jota has been scoring some crucial goals this season and has scored four goals in his last six appearances. Luis Diaz, on the other hand, has settled in briliiantly since arriving in the winter transfer window.
Dirk Kuyt on Luís Díaz:
“I could run a fair bit when I was a player, but I must admit I'm jealous of Luis Diaz's lungs. His stamina is amazing. It looks like it's in his veins to press, so it's no surprise to see why he's adapted to Klopp's system so quickly.” #awlive [lfc] https://t.co/i8k9egOolZ
The Colombian's pace and direct play has left opposition defenders flat-footed and he put in a man-of-the-match performance in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Benfica.
Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino have also looked sharp in recent weeks and on current form, Salah should be on the bench for this clash.
#2 Being on the bench against Manchester City could revitalize a jaded Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah has had an extremely difficult last few months. After suffering a penalty shootout loss against Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations final, he also missed out on World Cup qualification against the same opponents in another penalty shootout.
There has also been a lot of speculation about his contract situation at Liverpool and the Egyptian has looked like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Salah hasn't really had that juice ever since coming back from AFCON. I know he will score some ridiculous goals and remind everyone he's the best in the world, and I'm hoping for that to be against city, but something has to be up
A jaded Mohamed Salah might get a much-needed break and a wake-up call if left on the bench. While this is a risky move, it could pay dividends later in the season with Liverpool challenging on multiple fronts.