Where does Mohamed Salah fit into Liverpool’s first XI?
With his signing for Liverpool for a rumoured hefty £35 million now imminent, there is one question on every fans lips; where does Mohamed Salah fit in?
Despite outstanding seasons from Sadio Mane, Phillipe Coutinho and Adam Lallana, if the Egyptian is to claim a place in the starting line-up, one of the three will probably have to be dropped.
As a right winger, Salah’s direct competition will be Mane, although the likelihood is the former Chelsea man will play on the opposite flank with Liverpool’s number 19 accumulating 13 goals and 5 assists in the league last campaign.
However, Salah does deserve a place first eleven, boasting stats better than Mane’s with 15 goals and 11 assists in Italy but that is in Serie A, a league lower in quality than the Premier League, plus, it wouldn’t be a good idea to step on the toes of the clubs Player of the Season!
So who will make way?
This is one of the most difficult decisions Jurgen Klopp will have to make in time for the new season.
At the moment Adam Lallana looks be the player, if any, to lose his place.
In what most supporters would say was a successful season, the England international was plagued by injuries through last campaign, sidelined for a total of 64 days and 10 matches.
For this reason, Klopp may relegate Lallana to the bench with a heavy heart with the possibility of Coutinho taking on a entre-attacking midfield role leaving Henderson and either Emre Can or Lucas to form a defensive barrier in front of the back line.
Be sure, though, if any player goes through a dry patch or suffers an injury, personnel will be poised to take their spot.
Either way the competition for a place is certainly a great positive for the side, with strength in depth needed with Champions League football on the horizon.