Liverpool shift proves huge Mo Salah call now unavoidable: Ex-Red
Liverpool’s win in east London has been discussed for several reasons, but the tactical decisions around the right-hand side continue to dominate the wider conversation.
Don Hutchison told BBC Sport that what our boss changed against West Ham offered a glimpse into the future when Mo Salah is eventually unavailable.
The former midfielder was impressed with Joe Gomez, who made his first Premier League start of the campaign.
“Without being flashy, Joe Gomez just came in and played his role as a defender and right-back,” he said on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast. “He just defended well. Nothing flashy on the ball.”
Arne Slot made structural tweaks in the area where the Egyptian usually operates, creating a far sturdier platform for the win.
That shift allowed Florian Wirtz, who was back after injury, to deliver what Hutchison described as his strongest performance yet. “Florian Wirtz had his best game by a million miles,” he continued.
“He just looked assured, had more space, the pictures that he sees, the balls around the corner, the weight of pass.”
The 22-year-old from Bayer Leverkusen was central to the opening goal, combining with Cody Gakpo before Alexander Isak finished smartly.
How Slot’s decision affects the Salah conversation
The BBC pundit pointed out that a vacancy will appear when the Africa Cup of Nations begins, creating potential opportunities for Jeremie Frimpong or Federico Chiesa.
Hutchison also noted that rumours linking the club with Antoine Semenyo will not disappear.
“It’s an uncomfortable conversation because Salah and Virgil van Dijk can’t go on forever,” he said. “That’s the uncomfortable truth.”
This is not a new theme within the campaign, and it follows a period in which the winger’s defensive output has already been discussed in other quarters.
Micah Richards and Alan Shearer discussed the point that Salah remaining higher up the pitch was only effective when the goals flowed consistently, something that has not always been the case lately.
Arne Slot, however, made clear after the match that the weekend benching was not a sweeping long-term alteration.
The 47-year-old said that rotation has been vital because of the relentless schedule and stressed how important our No.11 remains.
The manager is perfectly entitled to make a bold change if it helps stabilise the side in the short term.
Liverpool’s next steps after important away win
Hutchison too expects the Egypt captain to feature against Sunderland in midweek. “Salah’s legs haven’t gone – he’s just going through a bad period,” he insisted.
The Dutchman needed solidity and, on this occasion, Gomez and Dominik Szoboszlai proved to be a successful pairing.
Our No.2 offered balance on the right, Wirtz supplied creativity in central areas, and Isak showed why the club made a record-breaking move for him.
What follows is a test of how our longest-serving forward reacts now his long run of consecutive Premier League starts has come to an end.
And with Arsenal five points clear at the top, every selection call around the attacking line carries extra weight.
You can watch Slot’s post-West Ham press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:
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