Liverpool manager Arne Slot has defended Mohamed Salah amid scrutiny over the forward’s recent scoring drought, insisting the Egyptian is not the only attacker short on goals.
Salah, who scored 34 goals in all competitions last season, has not found the net in a Premier League match since November 1.
Slot said the criticism reflects the high standards Salah has set over the years.
Arne Slot said: “He set his own standards and they are so, so, so high the moment he doesn’t score for a few games, people are surprised, so that is the big compliment.”
He added: “If you use the FA Cup, even though it is a Premier League side [he scored against].“Three games ago he had an assist and a goal against a Premier League side, Brighton, a very good Premier League team, so that is the reality.“You can change data and say it’s no goal in nine PL games and that is the standard he set.”
Slot argued that the focus should not rest solely on Salah, noting that other forwards have also endured dry spells.
Arne Slot said: “Mo we are used to scoring goals. We also know, even in my time, it has happened, I’ve had questions about Mo not scoring for three or four games but he always scores again.”
He continued: “He is not our only attacker who doesn’t score as much as he was used to.
It is not that the focus should be all on him, Hugo and Cody haven’t either, so it is a team thing.”Slot also pointed to Liverpool’s overall output.
Arne Slot said: “But we keep clean sheets, so they don’t need to score as many.
We scored six versus Qarabag and four against Newcastle.”The Dutchman also addressed areas of improvement for Hugo Ekitike, who joined for £82m in the summer and has scored 15 goals in his debut campaign.
Arne Slot said: “It’s true that when I played – a long time ago – we probably had a ball hanging on a rope and we headed it to work on a technique. It’s isolated, not used now.”
He added: “We are noticing this, as Hugo is, so we try to work on it.“Not every day but it’s a part of his game and he also wants to develop because he could have scored a few more goals.“Being 22, 23, it’s normal there are parts of your game you can improve.”
Liverpool are approaching the decisive stage of the season, with Slot expressing confidence that Salah will rediscover his scoring touch.
