Liverpool FC are at a turning point. The star of the show, Mohamed Salah, remains a huge figure but the output isn’t matching expectation.
Salah has drifted “from crucial to peripheral” in key matches, and manager Arne Slot’s decision to keep starting him is described as “a very obvious, big-ticket managerial mistake”.
The problem runs deeper than just one player. Opponents are now exploiting Liverpool’s right flank knowing it lacks its former bite. This imbalance is dragging the whole system down.
Importantly, the coaching staff and management aren’t absolved: there was a massive contract extension for Salah at the same time the squad needed a serious rebuilding.
Still, this may be exactly the jolt Liverpool needed. Their 3-0 defeat at Etihad Stadium served as a harsh but clear reality check. Liverpool’s Reality Check at the Etihad and Why It Might Be the Spark, argues this defeat could finally force the bold decisions the club has been avoiding.
In short: A superstar’s legacy is strong, but relevance now demands delivery. A manager’s credibility is intact but chooses caution. And the club stands at the threshold: either double down on nostalgia or pivot decisively toward the future.
If Liverpool gets the timing and the decision-making right, this moment could be the reset they’ve been craving.
