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Speculation that Liverpool could be open to the departure of Mo Salah before his contract expires at Anfield in 2027 has been given further weight by Mark Lawrenson, who feels the Egyptian star has dropped his levels since signing his new deal – and the stats back up those claims. The 33-year-old has carved his name in Liverpool folklore since he arrived in a bargain £36.9m deal from Roma in summer 2017, scoring a titanic 248 goals in 412 appearances for the club and helping the Merseysiders win seven major honours in the process. Having committed to a new two-year deal at Anfield back in April, Salah is now the best-paid player in the club’s history, raking in a whopping £400,000 a week. However, his form of late has been woefully below his usual high standards and, after a dreadful outing at Chelsea before the international break, Salah put in a virtually anonymous showing on Sunday as Manchester United stunned Anfield to claim a 2-1 win – their first at the home of their rivals since January 2016. Earlier this month, transfer journalist Graeme Bailey opened up on the possibility of Salah being sold by the Reds at the end of the current season, citing that the ‘endgame’ for the player was in sight and with the club knowing the summer of 2026 will represent one of their last opportunities to glean some cash from his sale. And after Jamie Carragher stated at the weekend that he does not think Salah is good enough to play every game for Liverpool, legendary former defender Lawrenson has also warned Slot he will need to have a strong conversation with the Egyptian over his dropping standards since signing his new deal and with the once-unthinkable scenario now emerging that he could and should be axed. Liverpool are next in action in the Champions League on Wednesday, where a defeat would ensure the club has suffered their worst run of form in 72 years… DON’T MISS 📌 ‘Brain dead’ Arne Slot told he’s ‘ruining Liverpool’ as sack calls begin and journalist makes damning Postecoglou claim Liverpool need harsh words with Salah – his stats have been poor since new deal Indeed, Lawrenson believes the new agreement, signed on April 11, may have been the turning point in Salah’s fortunes, with his output poor ever since. “Was he even playing yesterday?” Lawrenson jested on talkSPORT when asked about Salah’s performance against Ruben Amorim’s side. “He’s not been good enough. We are not worried by the fact that he’s missed chances because that is the way he plays and the nature of his position. “But you’ve got to work hard for the team, it’s not 10 teas and one coffee, it should be 11 teas. “I shouldn’t really say this, but you look at him now, and he’s got his contract, is he comfortable? Is he really working hard enough to be in this team? You’d probably say no. “You say it with trepidation as they have a game midweek and he’ll probably score a hat-trick or something, but as a manager, you have to have a conversation with him. “You have to say ‘look, we need a little bit extra,” but so too do most of the team in fairness.” The numbers since Salah signed his new deal back up those claims by Lawrenson. In the weeks and months before Salah signed his deal, the player had 32 goals and 22 assists from 47 games across the 2024/25 campaign. Since inking that two-year extension, the 33-year-old has scored just five times and added four assists from 18 games – a significantly lower output than previously and what is expected from the player. Granted, all players suffer dips in form, and it would be most Salah-like if he was to score a hat-trick next time out. But on current evidence, it does not look forthcoming and maybe Carragher’s claims about taking Salah out the firing line could become a more likely scenario than ever before. Latest Liverpool news: Sources reveal all on Slot contract; Sunday’s damaging loss means the Reds have lost four times in succession for the first time since November 2014 and the Brendan Rodgers era, ensuring the need to bounce back at Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday night is now more important than ever. But what does that mean for Slot and does it dent his chances of a new deal, as had previously been reported? Per our sources, Liverpool are still planning for the Dutchman to be their head coach in the long term, with Dean Jones now able to provide insight on those talks at Anfield and what FSG are thinking after the damaging loss to United. Off the back of Sunday’s loss, a Sky Sports reporter could not resist taking a pop at the Reds on social media with a scathing 15-word assessment – and we have explained why Slot needs to take a large portion of that blame. Elsewhere, another high-profile Liverpool star’s future is reaching a crossroads, and one source claims Slot will have a big say in whether a departure is sanctioned and amid growing links to a LaLiga club for the player, who was an unused substitute in Sunday’s defeat.
