Arne Slot has engineered victories over Real Madrid and Manchester City in the past week, dispatching both without conceding a goal and consolidating Liverpool’s position as Premier League and, to a lesser degree, Champions League favourites.
The nine-point Premier League lead over Arsenal and Chelsea, united in second place, bears testament to the Dutch coach’s unflappable mentality and innovative tactics, shaping Jurgen Klopp’s talented team to his own design.
Redmen from all angles have stepped up to bring elation to the Merseyside masses, who can scarcely believe the incredible start to the season that has suggested an illustrious finish is on the horizon.
At the front, though, is Mohamed Salah. The 32-year-old’s future is up in the air but this is hardly affecting his performances, notching a brace against Pep Guardiola’s withered crop to raise his haul to 11 goals and seven assists across 13 top-flight appearances this term. He’s posted six goal contributions from seven matches in further competitions.
1.
Wayne Rooney
Man United
276
2.
Ryan Giggs
Man United
271
3.
Harry Kane
Tottenham
259
4.
Thierry Henry
Arsenal
249
5.
Mohamed Salah
Liverpool
241
It’s clear that Salah wants to renew his £350k-per-week salary, but whether FSG bypasses their strict wage structure remains to be seen. Time’s ticking. Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes is prudently looking at potential successors, and he’s found an excellent choice to possibly replace the Egyptian king.
Liverpool eyeing Salah replacement
The Athletic have reported that Salah is open to extending his Liverpool contract by a single year but is frustrated by FSG’s handling of the situation. It’s not a good look, whichever angle it is viewed from.
The fact is, FSG have their parameters and will not acquiesce to Salah’s demands if they are deemed untenable. If the dreaded eventuality becomes reality for the Reds, Omar Marmoush is the player who is being lined up to take his place according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg.
Marmoush, Salah’s teammate with Egypt, has been in remarkable form for Eintracht Frankfurt this season and carries the kind of dynamic attacking qualities that would allow him to dovetail into Slot’s high-flying system.
The £50m-rated forward has been brilliant this season, for sure, and could forge a deadly partnership with Liverpool’s attacking options, especially Cody Gakpo.
Imagine Omar Marmoush & Cody Gakpo
Marmoush, who is 25, scored 17 goals across 41 appearances for Frankfurt last season as he established himself as one of the most promising forwards in German football.
This season, the Egypt international has been on a different level, harvesting 17 goals and 11 assists across 19 matches in all competitions, meaning that he is incredibly outscoring Liverpool’s very own Salah.
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As per FBref, the 5 foot 9 ace also ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and the top 2% for shot-creating actions per 90, thus showcasing a creative side to his game that would see him emulate Salah as an elite multi-faceted attacking outlet.
1.
Harry Kane
12
14
7
21
2.
Omar Marmoush
12
13
7
20
3.
Mohamed Salah
13
11
7
18
4.
Robert Lewandowski
15
15
2
17
4=
Raphinha
15
9
8
17
While Marmoush is typically found at centre-forward, his pace and movements allow him to operate on the left wing too, promoting his playmaking side. This could see him flourish alongside Gakpo, whose own positional versatility has been streamlined this term, and he is now reaping the rewards.
Goals against Real and Man City have taken the Netherlands international’s haul to eight goals under Slot’s wing, though it’s more impressive still when seeing that he has actually only been handed ten starting berths.
Exclusively posting his strikes from that left channel, it’s fair to say that Gakpo is loving life under his compatriot’s wing, and is actually thriving with Luis Diaz as the pair jockey for placement on the left.
As you can see below, Salah’s defence-splitting arced pass undid the shaky City backline on Sunday, finding the surging Gakpo and sending Anfield into an exultant roar. He had no trouble bundling the ball in, and it’s something that Marmoush might have taken note of.
Gakpo’s hardly just a marksman either, once hailed for his “special skill set” by Klopp’s former assistant manager Pep Lijnders, endowed with physical strength, shifty motions and impressive technicality that might just see him forge an innate bond with the equally dynamic Marmoush.
Though it’s easy to get ahead of the track, Liverpool fans must remember that there is plenty of football still to be played this season, with twists and turns and bumps and blocks all sure to threaten the Anfield side’s place in the ascendency.
Salah might be the cream of the crop, but players such as Gakpo are proving to offer quality fit for the biggest and shiniest titles.
To lose Salah at the supposed height of his powers is unthinkable, and surely must not be allowed to happen, but Liverpool will need to replace their 32-year-old phenomenon at some stage, and Marmoush is blessed with the talent to succeed in his stead.
Alongside Gakpo and co over the coming years, it might even be a move that maintains Liverpool’s position at the very summit of English and European competition.
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