Slot Ignores Salah.. Liverpool Returns to Winning Ways

Liverpool ended their losing streak, which had persisted over their last three matches across various competitions, achieving a vital 2-0 victory against hosts West Ham United on Sunday in the 13th round of the Premier League.

1. Match Details and Goals

• Match: Liverpool 2 - 0 West Ham United (at the London Olympic Stadium).

• Goal Scorers:

  • Swedish international Alexander Isak in the 60th minute.

  • Dutch international Cody Gakpo in the 90+2 minute.

• Match Circumstances: Liverpool capitalized on West Ham's numerical disadvantage after Lucas Paquetá was sent off in the 84th minute after receiving his second yellow card.

2. Coach Arne Slot's Surprising Decision

Liverpool's Dutch coach, Arne Slot, made a surprising move regarding the Egyptian star and the team's top scorer, Mohamed Salah:

• Exclusion from Starting Lineup: Slot decided to exclude Salah from the initial squad.

• Complete Omission: Slot did not use Mohamed Salah even as a substitute, keeping him on the bench for the entire match.

• Attacking Lineup Used: Slot relied on Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, and Cody Gakpo in attack, before substituting Isak with Frenchman Hugo Ekitike in the second half.

• Reason for Decision (Analysis): Slot's decision likely came in response to the demands of many followers to sideline the Egyptian captain due to his decline in performance this season, having failed to score in his last four matches and only netting 4 league goals overall this season.

3. Context of Liverpool's Win

This victory was crucial for Liverpool to end a recent run of negative results:

• Previous Losses: Liverpool had lost their last three matches against Manchester City, Nottingham Forest (in the league), and PSV Eindhoven (in the Champions League).

• Losing Streak: Liverpool entered the match having suffered 9 defeats in their last 12 matches across all competitions, including 7 defeats in their last six league games.