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“He’s not himself”: John Aldridge says Klopp must axe Liverpool player “we love” for Man City clash

Mohamed Salah

John Aldridge has suggested that Mohamed Salah should be dropped from the Liverpool starting lineup to face Manchester City.

The Egyptian has one goal for Liverpool in his last seven games which were preceded by a purple patch that saw the forward get four goals and an assist in three games against Inter Milan, Norwich City and Leeds.

Mohamed Salah.

But since then, he has blanked against Chelsea, West Ham and Inter before scoring against Brighton. But that was also followed by blanks against Arsenal, Watford and Benfica.

Should Mohamed Salah be axed from the starting XI against Manchester City based on form?

With Liverpool preparing for a potential Premier League title decider, Aldridge has boldly suggested the Egyptian should not be included based on form.

“If you’re going by form, Mo wouldn’t get in the team,” he told Sky Sports News when discussing his current preferred Liverpool front three.

“As good as he is, as great as he is, as much as we love him, on present form he’s struggling.

Mohamed Salah

“People might say he’s had his head turned but his contract situation doesn’t help. He hasn’t scored from open play for six weeks and he’s just not himself on the pitch.”

Klopp will trust Salah and the stage is set for Mo to return to top form

Salah, a player spoken of as the best on the planet not so long ago, has 28 goals and 10 assists this season and while he’s been struggling recently, it’s easy to understand why.

Two major international blows – both dealt by Sadio Mane’s Senegal – with intense media focus on his missed penalty in the recent World Cup playoff.

It’s bound to have an effect on your form.

But in major games like Sunday’s title showdown at the Etihad, there will be chances for Salah and if he can have a shining role in a Liverpool win, it could only have a positive effect on his form.

That’s what I’m hoping for. Salah was in such electrifying form before AFCON but has been in a funk ever since.

He needs something to spark him back into form.

Or maybe he just needs rest. The volume of football he has been playing this year is ridiculous and so Klopp needs to consider resting him in the coming games.

And at this important juncture in the season, Klopp needs Salah to return to his influential best with a trip to Manchester followed by Anfield hosting Benfica in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals.

While the Merseysiders have a 3-1 lead on aggregate, Salah chipping in with a few goals in the return leg wouldn’t hurt their chances of making it to the last four.

All that without even diving into the contract stuff which Klopp says has been “affecting” Salah.

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