Analysis of Mohamed Salah’s performance in Liverpool’s draw with Man United

Alex Rea

23:31 14/10/2017

Liverpool versus Manchester United again failed to live up to the hype as Jose Mourinho’s safety-first policy saw him once more frustrate the hosts at Anfield.

United goalkeeper David de Gea made one brilliant reaction save from Joel Matip in the first half, but Jurgen Klopp’s side failed to break down well-organised opponents.

It is a criticism which has been regularly levelled at the Reds this season but was perhaps excusable on this occasion considering the rivalry and the quality – United began the day joint top – they faced.

Here we look in-depth at the performance of Salah.

STATS

Goals – 0

Assists – 0

Shots – 4

Shots on target – 1

Touches – 49

Passes – 20

Key passes – 2

Dribbles – 7

Dispossessed – 4

Salah was particularly wasteful for Liverpool

EFFECTIVENESS

Sadio Mane’s injury brought about warranted hysteria given Liverpool’s impotency in attack when he was out of the side last season.

But the addition of Salah in the summer was meant for these occasions and the Egyptian was consistently the host’s biggest threat until he was brought off in the 77th minute.

Indeed, he put United on the backfoot repeatedly, cutting in from the right and driving through the heart of their two banks of four into the No10 role. His positioning meant he demanded the ball and he was getting plenty of it.

Matteo Darmian had a torrid time trying to pin him down but although Salah was doing everything right to work into dangerous positions, his finishing, as has been the case for much of the season, was wayward.

Liverpool rely heavily on goals from midfield and Salah simply had to be more potent against United. When he’s accurate his shot is tame, when he opts for power they end up in the upper tier of the Kop – his chance off Matip’s rebound perhaps the most infuriating as he dragged wide when he should have scored.

Credit is due for his superb movement and incredible balance which sees him slip past defenders but too many times chances were wasted when they were at his feet with only one shot on target from his four against United.

He was Liverpool’s key player, he just couldn’t turn a key chance into a vital goal.

KEY MOMENTS

15th min CHANCE: Salah spins away from Matic and Herrera in the middle of the park and he drives at United before playing a sharp pass to Wijnaldum on the edge of the box but he really should do better and he scoops it into De Gea’s grasp.

19th min CHANCE: Drifting in from the right into the No10 role he dropped the shoulder to get past Matic and he threads the ball through to Coutinho who shapes up to bend a shot to the far post before Smalling dives to get the ball away.

35th min CHANCE: Should have scored. De Gea makes a stunning stop from point-blank range to deny Matip and the ball rebounds in the direction of Coutinho and Salah. Despite the Brazilian being better positioned, Salah pinches the ball and slides it wide from 15 yards. Golden opportunity wasted.

66th min SHOT: Typical poor accuracy from Salah who receives the ball from Henderson with his back to goal from 25 yards out and he sprints into space before hitting horribly wide and over into the Kop.

77th min SUBSTITUTION: Double change sees Coutinho and Salah – both involved heavily for their countries during the international break – replaced by Sturridge and Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Salah is substituted for Oxlade-Chamberlain

VERDICT

Drifting in from the right into the No10 role meant Salah was seeing a lot of the ball but his performance was hallmarked by frustration at the four opportunities he missed.

In attack, he was their best player, though, he did tire in the 10 minutes before being brought off.