It could have been a game laced with melancholy. Not only are Brighton & Hove Albion good enough to take points from any team in the league, but the drama around club legend Mo Salah could have stepped up another level. Ready to catch a flight to Morocco, Salah came off the bench 26 minutes in to get an assist in the 2-0 win.
Salah suggested that this would be his last game, which is why his family was in attendance as he applauded the Kop. With Salah at least gone for a few weeks at AFCON, who can be expected to step up and add that extra bit of class on the pitch? These are the players who have been the best so far and where the Reds need to improve.
Top Performers in a Ho-Hum Start
After 16 games, the reigning Premier League champions had won half, adding two draws to that tally for 26 points. While perhaps not the whole issue, injuries have played a major role, and on top of that, Arne Slot has had to mix in several high-profile signings while trying to develop his team’s strategies and systems from last season.
Ten points from the top and in sixth, there have still been some strong performances from emergent leaders. Overall, Dominik Szoboszlai has been excellent. Even with his European showings to one side, he’s earned the Man of the Match nod on three occasions despite only scoring twice and assisting one more.
It’s a clear show of his prowess in the middle of the park. Virgil van Dijk, while not as overwhelmingly dominant as in the past, he still been solid – and often while lacking much help on either side. Finally, Cody Gakpo looks to have stepped up again this season. His 2.4 shots per game for four goals and three assists have made him a real menace.
A strong spine remains at Anfield, and one that many teams would envy. So, it won’t come as a surprise that the UK betting markets have earmarked Liverpool as the 1.37 third-favourites to land in the top four. Only Arsenal (1.01) and Manchester City (1.03) have better odds of getting a spot despite Liverpool sitting sixth after 16 games.
Where Improvements are Needed
One of the biggest hits to Liverpool’s starting XI was one of their new signings suffering a long-term injury. That came in the form of Jeremie Frimpong. The speedy right-back with a knack for crossing from the byline and getting back in time to face opposing wingers only managed a handful of appearances, but he has been missed on the flank.
He’s gradually making his way back from the hamstring injury, but with Szoboszlai needing to fill in at right-back against Brighton – and coming off injured – it’s clear that Liverpool need Frimpong fighting fit as soon as possible. Similarly, the left-back position has been one of concern this season.
The new defender has evidently struggled in the specific role Slot wants him to play, while Andy Robertson, now 31 years old, isn’t doing much to earn his old spot back. Joe Gomez recently suffered another injury, further compounding the issues at the back. It might be that any money gained from a Salah sale goes to the full-back position.
Liverpool’s first half of the season hasn’t been anywhere near as bad as the headlines would suggest. Better still, even with the issues around Salah, several players have stepped up to power the Reds upward. As the season rolls on, however, there needs to be a drastic improvement in the full-back positions one way or another.
