Mohamed Salah finally ended his goal drought in spectacular style on Saturday, smashing home a late strike with his weaker right foot against Brentford after expertly controlling Dominik Szoboszlai’s cross. Having missed several big chances in recent weeks, it was fitting that the Liverpool star found the net with one of the toughest of them all. Sadly, his goal only served as a consolation, as Arne Slot’s men fell 3–2 at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The defeat left the defending Premier League champions down in seventh place after four straight league losses, now seven points adrift of leaders Arsenal. With five defeats in their last six matches across all competitions, hopes of a title defence already appear to be slipping away.
Still, Salah’s late goal brought a rare glimmer of hope on another disappointing night in London. It ended a six-game run without scoring for the Egyptian, and was his first Premier League goal from open play since the opening-day win over Bournemouth.
Though not at his dazzling best this season—like many of his teammates—Salah still has a respectable record of four goals and three assists in 13 appearances. Those numbers may fall short of his usual elite standards, but they remain impressive by any normal measure.
The question now is whether Salah can rediscover his world-class form. Arne Slot has raised eyebrows in recent weeks by leaving him out of the starting XI for Champions League clashes against Galatasaray and Eintracht Frankfurt. But before the Brentford game, the Liverpool boss was asked about recalling him, and his response to TNT Sports was emphatic.
“Should I have to explain, or do his numbers speak for themselves?” Slot said with a smile. “Mo has been so influential for this club since he’s been here—and since I’ve been here. Unfortunately, like the whole team, we haven’t been able to get the best out of everyone recently. We’ve made enough changes, but haven’t managed to score enough.”
Even if Salah wasn’t at his brilliant best at Brentford, he rewarded his manager’s faith with that late goal—unlike the previous weekend, when he was substituted in a goalless draw against Manchester United. Slot will be hoping this strike reignites the Egyptian’s confidence and sparks a return to form.
Liverpool now turn their attention to Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash with Crystal Palace, kicking off a massive week that also includes games against Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Manchester City. And according to Reds legend Steve Nicol, Salah must start against Palace after finally breaking his scoring duck.
“The reason I said he should start is because goals change players,” Nicol told ESPN. “They change your mindset—from frustration to confidence. He’s broken the ice, so now you let him build on it. And to be honest, there’s nobody else banging on the door to take his place.”
Since joining Liverpool in 2017, Salah has featured in just 11 of the club’s 28 League Cup matches, scoring four and assisting once. Last season was the first time he played more than twice in a single campaign in this competition, helping the Reds reach the final.
As Liverpool prepare for Palace, all eyes will again be on Salah. Critics have questioned whether age is catching up with him, but Slot must decide whether to rest or rely on his talisman after publicly backing him once more.
Liverpool’s defeat to Brentford may have shown their wider struggles are far from over—but for Salah, that goal could be the spark that reignites his season. Whether it truly marks the start of his resurgence will be revealed the next time he steps on the pitch.
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