"False Dawn"
The trip to Anfield this weekend is considered an important turning point for coach Arne Slot and his team. The "Red Brigade" is falling into the most serious crisis in many years, especially when they face the risk of losing 5 consecutive matches in the Premier League - something that has never happened in the history of the club.
Mohamed Salah shouldered the heavy responsibility of scoring goals for Liverpool (Photo: AP)
A resounding 5-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League seemed to usher in a new beginning, but it turned out to be a false dawn. Liverpool then lost consecutive league games to Brentford and League Cup games to Crystal Palace, casting a gloomy atmosphere over Merseyside. The reigning champions are now 7th, 7 points behind leaders Arsenal, and are losing the trust of their fans.
On the contrary, Aston Villa under coach Unai Emery are in brilliant form. After a shaky start, "The Villans" have won all 5 recent rounds, including a 1-0 victory over Man City. Under Emery, Aston Villa play cohesively, disciplined and persistently, in complete contrast to Liverpool's decline. However, Villa also has a big "curse": They have lost all 11 recent away matches against teams holding the Premier League trophy and have not won at Anfield in over 10 years.
Rediscovering the killer instinct
The focus of all eyes is still Mohamed Salah - Liverpool's greatest icon in the modern era, but is going through a rare period of decline. The Egyptian star has failed to score for 6 consecutive rounds, the longest dry spell since joining "The Kop". Not only is Salah lacking in goals, he has also been criticized for his will, lack of dynamism and especially for losing his ability to create breakthroughs that used to be his trademark.
Coach Slot believes the problem is not just Salah but the entire attacking system that lacks cohesion. However, public opinion in England is starting to question whether the 33-year-old star still has enough desire and fitness to continue to carry the Liverpool attack.
Salah now has 275 goals and assists for the club - just one goal away from Wayne Rooney's Premier League record but that seems out of reach as his goal drought continues.
Liverpool are likely to welcome back Ryan Gravenberch, while Alisson, Frimpong and Leoni remain absent. On the other side of the front line, Aston Villa are without Emiliano Buendia and Tielemans due to injury, but the consistent form of Watkins, McGinn and Matty Cash still makes them a big threat.
Against a rising opponent, Liverpool must find their attacking identity again if they do not want the crisis to escalate. A draw could be enough to halt their losing streak at home, they want 3 points. What fans are waiting for most is for Salah to find his killer instinct again - a quality that can save the season for the Merseyside team. Prediction: Liverpool 2-2 Aston Villa.
If Chelsea beat Tottenham in the early match, Liverpool will fall behind all 5 members of the "Big Six" group for the first time, despite being the defending champions!
Source: https://nld.com.vn/ap-luc-tren-vai-salah-196251031204737247.htm
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