Life after Salah: How Liverpool could line up next season without the Egyptian King
Life after Salah: How Liverpool could line up next season without the Egyptian King Mohamed Salah has been the first name on the Liverpool team sheet for almost a decade, but a long goodbye has started after the announcement that he will leave this summer. It feels like the right time for both parties to move on, even if Salah's exit will leave a huge void in the Liverpool side. We've looked at how Liverpool could line up in the Premier League next season without the 'Egyptian King'.
Box midfield Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike, Isak Recent tactical trends have seen a shift back towards two forwards, with both Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola having experimented. Salah spent significantly more time infield during the recent thrashing of Galatasaray, joining Hugo Ekitike as part of a front pair. With Alexander Isak set to return from injury in recent weeks, is it a tactic that Liverpool could explore to accommodate both of last summer's striker signings?
With Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister as the deeper pivot in a four-man box midfield, Liverpool could use Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai to gain numerical advantage in the centre, while retaining the Isak-Ekitike combination further forward. The onus would be on Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez to provide width, with added responsibility on Gravenberch and Mac Allister to protect Liverpool's centre-back pair. Move to a back three Alisson; Konate, Van Dijk, Jacquet; Frimpong, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Kerkez; Wirtz; Isak, Ekitike Liverpool have rarely used a back three system but, on paper, it appears a formation that suits current personnel.
The ongoing talk around the potential arrival of Xabi Alonso to replace Arne Slot will do little to quieten down talk of a system switch. Liverpool agreed a deal to sign Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes in January and the talented young defender will link up with the Reds in the summer. Using three central defenders would allow greater licence for Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez to get forward, while perhaps adding a layer of protection to an ageing Virgil van Dijk.
Further additions may be required to add defensive depth. Particularly if the out-of-contract Konate fails to sign a new deal. Furthermore, the system provides Florian Wirtz with a free role behind Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike.