Liverpool’s season went from bad to worse after they were dumped out of the EFL Cup by Crystal Palace on Wednesday night, Footynaija.com reports.
Arne Slot’s side again failed to find rhythm, losing shape in key moments and looked nothing like the team that once dominated English football. The Reds have now lost six of their last seven games across competitions, and questions are growing louder about both Slot’s tactics and the players’ mentality.
Mohamed Salah, normally the spark in Liverpool’s attack, has looked strangely subdued in recent matches. His body language, finishing, even the energy he carries on the pitch, all seem dulled.
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Speaking on his Obi One Podcast, former Chelsea and Super Eagles midfielder John Mikel Obi said,
“I heard Mo Salah was very close to Jota. He doesn’t look like himself… he looks like a shadow of his former self… so I will be careful and very calm when criticizing this Liverpool team.”
Mikel’s perspective captures what several fans have felt but could not express. Losing a teammate like Diogo Jota, who shared dressing rooms and celebrations with Salah, has left a void that may be weighing on the Egyptian’s spirit.
Salah only recently ended a six-match goal drought. Before this time, the Egyptian forward hadn’t scored a Premier League goal from open play since the first weekend of the season.
He was left out of the starting eleven during Liverpool’s 5-1 Champions League victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. In the 2-1 loss to Manchester United at Anfield, he was taken off late in the game after missing two major chances.
Speaking in a recent interview, manager Arne Slot admitted he could not explain the dip in form of last season’s Premier League Golden Boot winner. “In football, players miss chances, and Mo is human too,” he said.
Mikel’s warning about being “careful with criticism” also feels timely. This Liverpool team looks emotionally drained as much as technically inconsistent.
