How do Liverpool cope without Salah?

How do Liverpool cope without Salah?
Mohamed Salah warms up ahead of the English Premier League football match
[Getty Images]

Since arriving at Liverpool from Roma in 2017, Mohamed Salah has built a legacy that is hard to match. His honours list includes four Premier League Golden Boots, three PFA Player of the Year awards plus seven major trophies with the Reds – including two Premier League titles and the 2019 Champions League. In hindsight, the initial £34m fee paid for him looks like a bargain.

But it's increasingly clear that the Egyptian is no longer the focal point of Liverpool's attack, and the question now is how they will cope without the 33-year-old.

Statistically, there is some evidence they can still prosper. Since his arrival, Liverpool's win percentage in all competitions is actually slightly higher when he doesn't start. And while this data covers a relatively small sample size, the Reds have also scored marginally more goals.

Although these numbers provide some optimism for a Salah-less Liverpool, it is easier said than to done to replace the output of a player who scored 29 Premier League goals and provided 18 assists last season.

Liverpool since Salah joined in 2017 in all competitions:
With Salah starting - Games: 383 Won: 241 Drawn: 76 Lost: 66 Win percentage: 62.9% Goals scored per game: 2.1
Without Salah starting - Games: 88 Won: 57 Drawn: 17 Lost: 14 Win percentage: 64.8% Goals scored per game: 2.3

Source: Opta
[BBC]