The role of Mohamed Salah at Liverpool is changing, but in a surprising way.

As Liverpool prepares to host Brighton at Anfield, the future of Mohamed Salah within the team continues to be a topic of intense speculation. Rumors suggested that this could be the last game for the Egyptian forward at the club, a possibility that prompted Salah to invite his family to watch the match. However, the player’s situation within the squad took an unexpected turn after a disagreement that left him out of the trip to Italy to face Inter in the Champions League. Confirmation that Salah would play against Brighton only came on Friday afternoon, and indeed, he appeared as a substitute in the match.

Only ten weeks have passed since that tumultuous episode. Now, with Brighton back at Anfield, the narrative surrounding Salah is one of gradual reintegration, dispelling the notion that his time at Liverpool was about to end. After the game, Salah headed to the Africa Cup of Nations, but since his return to the club, he has participated in six matches, starting in all of them and completing five. The player who felt betrayed by the club has, in fact, been thrown back into action.

However, Salah’s performance has been mixed. In the last four matches of the Premier League, he has managed three assists, tying with Steven Gerrard on 92 assists for Liverpool. However, his only goal in the last six appearances was a free kick scored in the Champions League against Qarabag. Salah’s record is concerning: one goal in 12 matches, with the last time he found the net against English opponents being on November 1, in a match against Aston Villa.

Two distinct trends emerge from this scenario. Since his impressive performance as a substitute against Brighton in December, Salah has been more active, although the number of shots recorded this season is significantly lower than it was last year. Currently, Salah is averaging 3.7 shots per 90 minutes in the Premier League, an increase from 2.6 at the beginning of the season. Furthermore, 19.5% of his touches occur in the opponent’s area, a considerable increase compared to the previous 14.4%.

Statistics indicate a slight improvement in goal potential, with an xG (expected goals) of 0.47 per 90 minutes, compared to 0.31 previously. His expected assists per 90 minutes have more than doubled, rising from 0.15 to 0.37. Despite this progress, the goal drought persists, except for the direct free kick against Qarabag. His xG in the Premier League since returning to play is 2.22, but he still has no goals to show for it.

“Even last season, Mo had a spell where he scored seven goals in four games, followed by five or six games without scoring,” commented Arne Slot, the coach who reintegrated the Egyptian into the team, although he has yet to find the net. “We’ll see where he ends the season in terms of goals and assists.” Last season, Salah achieved impressive numbers: 29 goals and 18 assists, a record level of productivity.

However, this season, the numbers have been less favorable. Salah’s average xG per 90 minutes is 0.38, about half of the 0.74 he recorded in the previous season, indicating that the opportunities he receives are of lower quality. His shooting record per game this season is 2.79, a figure that is below what has been typical at Anfield.

Slot raises a pertinent question: could Salah’s previous success be working against him? “There may be several reasons for this. The opponent may be even more aware of his threat after a great season, or the constant changes of right-backs in the team may have influenced that dynamic.” This has indeed been the year of seven right-backs for Liverpool, whereas in previous years, Salah benefited from the continuity of Trent Alexander-Arnold behind him, a player who was both a passer and a crosser, unlike Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong, who have a more run-oriented style.

Salah’s situation is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing narratives for Liverpool this season, and what follows could be decisive not only for his career but also for the future of the team.