[BBC]BBCMon, December 1, 2025 at 5:29 PM UTC·3 min readMissing Trent Alexander-Arnold, bedding in new faces, missing out on Marc Guehi, the sale of Luis Diaz, the tragic loss of Diogo Jota...
Debate over reasons behind Liverpool's demise in the Premier League this season has been abundant.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSunday's win at West Ham saw the dropping of Mohamed Salah - with the form of the club's third-highest ever scorer also among the reasons fans cite for the Reds losing their way this term.
Dominik Szobozslai - universally praised for his displays this season - took up much of the Salah role on Liverpool's right side, allowing Florian Wirtz to flow and impress infield.
Teams have - for some time now - targeted Liverpool's right side. One could argue Ibrahima Konate's difficulties this season as right-sided centre-back are not helped by the focus opponents place on his side of the pitch. Typically, through Alexander-Arnold's forays forward last term, through a changing cast of right-backs this term and, perhaps, a perceived lack of defensive work from Salah, the Reds have never been a softer touch down that side.
Notably, Szobozslai's role on Sunday struck a balance between going forward and the ugly defensive work. His heatmap, on the left below, shows work either side of the halfway line.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCompare that with Salah's heatmap in defeats against Nottingham Forest and Brentford [central and right] as these prove the time he spends high up the pitch.
Szobozslai's heat map at West Ham can be seen on the left. Salah's heatmap against Nottingham Forest can be seen in the centre, with his heatmap at Brentford on the right. [BBC]From the right-wing berth, Szobozslai touched the ball 23 times in his own half on Sunday. That is significantly more involvement than Salah has shown in this area of the pitch across recent weeks.
And this looks more significant when considering Liverpool's most recent league win before Sunday - the 2-0 success against Aston Villa at Anfield on 1 November.
In that game, Salah's heatmap is more balanced, and he both scored and had 11 touches in his own half.
Salah's heatmap in the 2-0 home win over Aston Villa [BBC]It would of course be too simplistic to say the right side is fundamental to Konate's difficulties, or that it is critical to their collective woes this season. It would also be wholly unfair to blame Salah when he has inflicted so much to opponents from a right-wing role he has mastered.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt should also be stressed that post-match boss Arne Slot played down dropping Salah and referenced he may well start against Sunderland on Wednesday.
Nevertheless, a finer balance to Liverpool's right flank may prove key to stabilising this season - and Szobozslai wore the role well.
It seems staggering that Salah, last season's Golden Boot winner no less, is being doubted or left out just months after a season full of personal landmarks.
But Liverpool's recent failings, the endless debate around them and football's ruthless nature meant something had to give. On Sunday, that something was Salah and it seems a better way was found.
