Liverpool’s Salah concern gives Klopp dilemma before Man City showdown

Mohamed Salah’s off-colour performance against Watford showed Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp may be forced to make a tough decision with their showdown against Manchester City on the horizon

If Liverpool have their sights firmly set on the Premier League title and even an unprecedented quadruple, keeping Mohamed Salah fresh will be their top priority. And that is why Jurgen Klopp will be concerned by what he witnessed against Watford on Saturday.

The nervous Anfield faithful were grateful for an impressive display from Diogo Jota, who led the line like a classic No.9 and capped his display with a fine header and assist. That was perhaps a relief for Salah, who endured a rare off-day at home, and Jota leading the Merseyside outfit to victory masked that.

But it won’t have escaped the attention of Klopp, who will have been aware of the drop-off from his star man. Having scored 15 in his first 17 games this season, Salah has now found the net only once in his last six league appearances . He hasn’t completed a full 90 minutes in the Premier League since February 23 when he bagged a brace in the 6-0 drubbing over Leeds.

His only real effort on goal was a limp left-footed effort that rolled past Ben Foster’s post. Everything he tried, whether it was a slalom in between defenders or a pass in behind, was snuffed out. Klopp, perhaps realising it wasn’t his day — or week considering his Egypt disappointment — hauled off the 29-year-old midway through the second half.

Salah wore a look of frustration on his face as he headed for the bench — and only he will know if that was with himself or his manager. Some could put it down to the demands of being a modern footballer who represents their country and plays a key role at club level. And after the game, the German hinted that his decision was linked to keeping his players as fit as possible in the coming weeks.

“It’s a tricky one. There’s a reason why it’s so difficult to win one trophy,” Klopp said. “[We will] take it game by game. Take it 100 per cent in each game. Hopefully keep all the boys fit and make changes between games. The Premier League is the most important competition.”

Have Your Say! Should Jurgen Klopp consider resting Mo Salah against Benfica? Comment below.

Salah had returned from a gruelling trip on international duty with Egypt that would have affected him both physically and mentally. His miss in the shootout against Senegal ultimately contributed to them losing out on a place in the World Cup, and it would have certainly done some damage to his confidence.

Few could blame Klopp for throwing him back into the side at the first opportunity to rebuild it, especially against a defence as leaky as Watford’s. But the winger, so often a player full of running and energy on the ball, looked jaded on the right-hand side and has rarely been so ineffectual for Liverpool this season.

Like any top footballer, Salah wants to play every minute of every game and score as many goals as possible, and a player with his drive and desire to help his team is unlikely to ever tell the manager he doesn’t want to play. Considerations about fitness and risk of injury lie firmly within Klopp’s responsibilities — and only he can decide to give Salah a rest that he clearly needs.

It is not as if Liverpool don’t have the attacking options available. Jota scored his 14th Premier League goal and 20th in all competitions with the opener, while Luis Diaz was left as an unused substitute. That is before you consider that Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino both impressed while Salah and Mane were at the Africa Cup of Nations in January.

There is no question it will be difficult to find a time to give Salah a much-needed break from playing. Liverpool have a rare chance to pursue four different trophies and achieving that would rank Klopp amongst the very best that European football has seen before, so benching Salah would be a huge risk to take if they are serious about gunning for all four trophies.

But after Klopp confirmed the Premier League was his priority following the win over Watford, it would make sense to select Diaz or Mane to face Benfica in the Champions League. Liverpool see their title showdown with City on April 10 as their most important game of the season — and if they are to topple Guardiola’s men, having a fit and firing Salah will be pivotal to their chances.