Mohamed Salah’s Form Sparks Concern but Perspective Still Matters

Few players in world football have set standards as relentlessly high as Mohamed Salah. His form over recent weeks, however, has inevitably raised questions about whether the Egyptian’s best days in a Liverpool shirt are behind him. Speaking to Dave Davis for Anfield Index, journalist David Lynch offered a measured yet honest assessment of Salah’s current struggles, highlighting both concern and caution in equal measure.

Signs of Sudden Decline

Salah has gone five games without a goal contribution, with his last goal coming in the 3–2 victory over Atletico Madrid on 17 September. Since then, he has drawn blanks against Crystal Palace, Galatasaray, Chelsea and Manchester United. For a player of his pedigree, such a drought inevitably fuels speculation.

“He’s just in really poor form at the moment and you wonder if he will come back out of it or this it now?” Lynch admitted, reflecting the unease many supporters feel. He then drew a worrying parallel, saying: “We have seen evidence of that in recent years. Fabinho is probably the prime example of this and that a decline can be really sudden.”

That comparison carries weight. Fabinho went from indispensable to expendable in the space of months, and Liverpool know all too well how swiftly performance levels can change in top-level football.

Criticism and Context

While Salah’s drop-off has been stark, Lynch was clear that criticism should not spill into disrespect. “What I don’t like is the people laying into him and saying a lot of disrespectful things,” he said, defending a player who has been central to Liverpool’s modern success.

Salah’s contract renewal in the summer was both inevitable and justified at the time. “It would’ve been insane not to give the contract to a player that was putting up the numbers that he was last season, so people need to be measured in their criticism,” Lynch explained.

Indeed, Salah’s output in the 2024–25 Premier League title-winning campaign under Arne Slot was extraordinary. His consistency, leadership and clutch performances defined the season. That sort of contribution cannot be forgotten after a handful of below-par displays.

Searching for Confidence

Lynch offered a hopeful interpretation of Salah’s current situation, suggesting that confidence, rather than physical decline, might be the real issue. “It does look like we are seeing a decline, but I really hope that’s not the case,” he said. “Hopefully it’s just the amount of turnover or he’s just lacking confidence at the moment. But he’s missing chances that you can’t believe he would miss.”

Such moments, like his missed opportunity against Manchester United in the 2–1 defeat at Anfield, underline how far from rhythm Salah appears right now. “It was just another poor performance it was no surprise that he got subbed off. Frimpong done a better job in those latter moments,” Lynch noted.

Slot’s Balancing Act

Arne Slot faces a delicate task. Managing an out-of-form icon requires patience, empathy and tactical clarity. Salah remains one of Liverpool’s most decisive players even in poor form, and Slot will hope that trust and time will help restore his confidence.

Liverpool’s title defence depends not only on collective cohesion but also on whether their talisman can rediscover his edge. Salah has defied doubt before, and few would rule out another resurgence from one of the Premier League’s most prolific forwards.