Salah impact compared to on-pitch litter against Forest – Nevin

Liverpool go into the Premier League meeting with West Ham United amid debate about Mo Salah’s performance in the recent 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.

Arne Slot’s side collected three crucial points at the City Ground thanks to Alexis Mac Allister’s stoppage-time goal, but the performance itself divided opinion and prompted strong comments from BBC pundit Pat Nevin.

The former winger did not hold back when discussing the Egyptian forward: “There was a plastic bag on the field at one point and the ball rolled over it several times – it seemed to be having a bigger impact on the game than Mo Salah.”

Nevin added that the whole team struggled, though Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and France international Ibou Konate were keeping us competitive in the match.

“I was at Nottingham Forest to see Liverpool being borderline awful in their first half… The three points, won with a 97th-minute Alexis Mac Allister strike, were among the luckiest you will see.”

Salah’s performance vs Nottingham Forest in context

The Egypt international was substituted in the second half with 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha replacing him as Slot looked for energy in attack.

His reaction on the bench drew attention and discussion afterwards.

Footage showed Salah laughing and shaking his head following the change, which led to further commentary about his form and role within the side.

Sam Allardyce has also questioned his recent output, arguing the forward must address matters privately rather than visibly reacting during matches.

Yet the broader data paints a more balanced picture.

Salah 2025-26 season	Total
Appearances	28
Goals	7
Assists	8

Over his last seven matches the Egyptian attacker still has two goals and four assists, suggesting the Forest game was more an outlier than a trend.

Liverpool were also missing several attacking options at the City Ground, with Florian Wirtz injured in the warm-up and other forward choices limited, leaving Slot little opportunity to change the match earlier.

Rotation, Ngumoha and Liverpool’s attack

The loudest reaction after the match centred on Ngumoha’s impact when introduced.

The teenager immediately offered direct running and creativity, which inevitably created comparisons with Salah and Cody Gakpo, but those discussions risk oversimplifying the situation.

Ngumoha performing well does not mean the experienced players suddenly cannot contribute, and a balanced rotation may ultimately help Liverpool’s attack across the remaining fixtures.

Slot’s squad currently sits sixth in the Premier League on 45 points and faces a decisive run-in for Champions League qualification, making contributions from both youth and experience essential.

Criticism of Salah is understandable after a quiet afternoon, yet given his recent returns and Liverpool’s reduced attacking depth, the verdict may have been harsher than the performance truly deserved ahead of the Anfield clash with West Ham.

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