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Steve Nicol says Liverpool forward’s drop-off is ‘scary’ after recent displays
Discussion around Mo Salah has intensified ahead of our trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers after Steve Nicol delivered a strong assessment of the Egyptian forward’s recent form while speaking on ESPN.
The 32-year-old remains central to Arne Slot’s attack, yet a short run without league goals has prompted growing outside commentary despite our 5-2 win over West Ham United.
The former Liverpool defender did not hold back when describing what he believes he is seeing: “I know that we’re employed here because we played and we’ve seen almost everything. I’ve never seen this. I’ve never seen this.
“How somebody can go from the top of the mountain and just disappear so quickly is absolutely scary. I’ve never seen it before ever.”
Nicol then went even further in his analysis: “All of the above could be true. So lack of confidence and irreversible decline.
“It’s hard to argue that those aren’t two of the problems. I mean, seriously, go figure. I don’t think he could answer it.
“If you actually spoke to Mo Salah himself and asked him, he wouldn’t be able to tell you, right? I bet he wouldn’t.”
Salah performance vs West Ham analysed
Despite the narrative, Salah’s performance against West Ham was not poor statistically.
According to SofaScore data, the Egypt international played the full 90 minutes, completed 21 of 27 passes (78%), attempted three shots and produced nine crosses, while also winning two tackles and contributing defensively as we closed out the 5-2 victory.
| Stat | Salah vs West Ham |
|---|---|
| Minutes | 90 |
| Shots | 3 |
| xG | 0.19 |
| Pass accuracy | 78% |
| Crosses | 9 |
| Tackles won | 2 |
He has no goal contributions in the last two matches, but prior to that run the Egyptian attacker recorded two goals and four assists in six games, which highlights how small sample sizes can quickly change perception.
Context around Liverpool’s reliance on Salah
Arne Slot has already addressed the discussion surrounding his No.11, explaining that the scrutiny is largely created by the extraordinarily high standards Salah himself set across multiple seasons.
Our head coach noted that when a player scores consistently for years, a short drought immediately becomes a storyline rather than a normal fluctuation in form.
There is also a squad context to consider.
We currently lack a like-for-like alternative on the bench capable of replicating Salah’s output, meaning the Egyptian international continues to play heavy minutes while remaining a primary creative and scoring outlet.
Another recent critic, Mark Kennedy, also questioned the forward’s impact, though the wider picture remains clear – Liverpool are still creating chances at a league-leading rate and still winning matches.
After scoring five against West Ham and sitting firmly in the Champions League race, the situation looks less like a crisis and more like a temporary dip.
The upcoming trips to Wolves may therefore be less about answering pundits and more about allowing Salah to do what he has repeatedly done during his Liverpool career – respond on the pitch.
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