How will Liverpool line up with Mohamed Salah?
Liverpool have almost completed the signing of Mohamed Salah from Roma. Where will Jurgen Klopp play him in the Reds’ front line?
Jurgen Klopp is on the brink of making his first major signing of the summer, but now he needs to decide how to utilize his new acquisition in 2017-18.
He will certainly want to make the most of his new signing. Mohamed Salah scored or assisted a goal every 94 minutes last season. Liverpool’s best performer on this front was Philippe Coutinho, but even he trailed behind the Egyptian international.
The most likely position for Salah is on the right of Liverpool’s front three. A look at his performance data on the Transfermarkt website reveals he has already made 115 starts in his career there. He was particularly potent as a right winger in 2016-17, scoring 12 goals and assisting nine more in 22 Serie A appearances.
This initially appears to present a dilemma to Klopp, though. Sadio Mane made that position his own in his debut Liverpool season, to the point that the team looked one-paced and lifeless when he was absent. Should he move to accommodate Salah?
It certainly wouldn’t appear sensible to play Salah on the left in order to leave Mane where he is. The former Chelsea man isn’t experienced there, as he has only played 17 matches on the left wing in his career.
This is somewhat surprising, not least as he’s left footed. He’s also scored or assisted a goal every 104 minutes from the left wing. Playing there hasn’t neutered his attacking potency by any means. It would still be a surprise to see him line up there for Liverpool, though Klopp has moved the likes of James Milner and Georginio Wijnaldum from their favored positions in the past.
Salah has previously played as a second striker, even though a right-wing berth has been his most frequent position. He played 10 times there for Roma last season, and directly contributed to six goals.
Klopp may have favored a 4-3-3 formation last season, but in his Dortmund days he tended to go with a 4-2-3-1. Perhaps the German manager will revert to that formation and play Salah in the center of the three.
The idea of Mane, Salah and Coutinho lining up behind Roberto Firmino is certainly an intriguing one. The quartet scored 58 goals between them in all competitions last season, so there’s no lack of firepower there. Liverpool played so well at times in 2016-17 it seems unlikely Klopp will stray too far from 4-3-3, though.
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The obvious choice for Klopp would be to move Mane to the left wing. He hasn’t yet played there for Liverpool, but it’s his most common position across his whole career. In 105 matches there, Mane has scored or assisted 93 goals, including nine goals and three assists in 19 Premier League games.
This would in turn see Coutinho move into midfield. He was devastating there in Liverpool’s recent match at West Ham, and that wasn’t for the first time. Emre Can, Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana, Wijnaldum and any new midfield signings would then fight it out for the other two places. Whoever misses out, Klopp’s bench immediately looks stronger than it did in 2016-17.
Salah will instantly provide Liverpool with another devastating attacking option. He’s a flexible player, but he should be used on the Reds’ right wing next season.