Mohamed Salah scored twice and arrange one other as Liverpool beat Newcastle 4-2 on Monday Night time Soccer – however he now goes away to the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt. His team-mates should guarantee Liverpool are nonetheless within the title race when he returns, says Gary Neville
The Reds moved three factors clear on the prime of the Premier League with the win over Newcastle, with a five-point hole on Man Metropolis, who’ve a sport in hand, and Arsenal, two of their primary rivals for the crown.
Salah has performed an enormous function in Liverpool’s run to the highest of the desk, with 14 targets and eight assists to his identify from 20 appearances this season.
However now the stress is on fellow attackers Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo to select up the burden whereas Salah is away on worldwide responsibility in January. That trio have simply 13 Premier League targets between them.
“In the first half against Newcastle, you wondered whether it was going to be similar to the Manchester United game a couple of weeks ago where they had 30-odd shots in that match and couldn’t score a goal but they were far better tonight,” mentioned Neville, on the Gary Neville Podcast after the match.
“On the flipside of it, Liverpool have gotten nice choices up prime they usually’ve received one star participant who connects all of it collectively in Mohamed Salah.
“Liverpool have gotten three world-class gamers in Alisson, Virgil van Dijk and Salah. Van Dijk has been again to his finest on this previous month or two. Liverpool’s defensive file has been good they usually’ve saved numerous clear sheets. Alisson is the very best goalkeeper on the planet they usually’ve received any person who hits numbers from a large space that’s so constant and delivers 12 months in, 12 months out. It is unbelievable. In the event that they hold these three match, they’re in with an enormous likelihood.
“But Salah going away for a month damages them.
“When Jurgen Klopp first got here to Liverpool, I actually preferred watching them. They had been actually frantic, there was a great deal of urgent and it was quick. Typically, you did not fairly know what was taking place, and typically the gamers did not both.
“It lacked composure but it was exciting – heavy metal football as he called it. Then it became really smooth along with that electricity and it became a wonderful team that was going head-to-head with Manchester City for a few years.
“Loads of these gamers have left they usually’ve received again to a transitional interval like they had been initially underneath Klopp with Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz. They don’t seem to be polished but. They don’t seem to be on the peak of their careers the place you begin to make exact choices.
“There’s an electricity to them but also a frustration that in the final third the last part can go a little bit wrong. You wonder what that’s going to be like without Salah but they owe it to him to get through the next month still in the title, still at the top of the league and still ahead so they can give Salah a chance to come back and have a real go at the title.
“I did not suppose Liverpool can be in a title race and I nonetheless do not suppose they’re going to do it. The hesitation I’ve in my voice is because of these three gamers [Gakpo, Nunez and Diaz] however Klopp is one thing completely different as a supervisor.”
Klopp’s two best options to take on Salah’s role…
Asked what Klopp’s solution might be when it comes to filling the gap left by Salah on the right side of Liverpool’s attack, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher named two options.
“Liverpool have gotten in Jota somebody who is a good purpose scorer. However you noticed with Nunez tonight and Diaz – who was unbelievable, performed his finest sport in a very long time – they are not in nice kind in entrance of purpose they usually’re not world class in entrance of purpose.
“So that will be a problem and it will be really interesting to see who he puts in that position.
“Loads of Liverpool’s attackers are proper footed so they give the impression of being OK on the left, Jota, Nunez, Gakpo. However nobody seems to be like they’ve the best stability for the best.
“Harvey Elliott, with that left foot, he comes inside but he’s more of a midfield player, he probably lacks pace to play in the front three but he can do it.
“And Dominik Szoboszlai. Liverpool have gotten numerous midfield choices now Alexis Mac Allister is again, though Wataru Endo is [going to the Asia Cup]. Szoboszlai has performed there for his former membership.
“But you can’t replace Salah’s goals, that’s very important.”