Liverpool’s class of 2025 have earned an unfavourable comparison to the Paris Saint-Germain team that once boasted Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. The Reds have assembled a star-studded cast of their own at Anfield, splashing out £240 million ($320m) on deals for Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, but are still waiting for their fearsome attacking unit to click.
Getty/GOALEnd product: Salah also struggling for a spark
Mohamed Salah also falls into that category, with the Egyptian superstar seeing his remarkable standards dip at the start of the current campaign – leading to him being dropped to the bench by Arne Slot for important Champions League fixtures on the road.
Swedish striker Isak has just one Carabao Cup goal to his name, while German playmaker Wirtz is still waiting to open his account. Dutch forward Cody Gakpo has also missed some glaring chances, with Liverpool having relied on late goals early in the season to paper over the cracks that were beginning to form on Merseyside.
Time is still on their side when it comes to unlocking full potential, with Isak and Wirtz too talented not to come good, but questions are being asked of whether Slot has assembled a cohesive squad or a collection of individualist superstars – much like PSG once did.
AdvertisementLiverpool likened to PSG of Messi, Neymar & Mbappe
Former Premier League title winner Jeremie Aliadiere – who formed part of Arsenal’s fabled ‘Invincibles’ squad in 2003-04 – has told of the issues that Slot is facing: “I compare this Liverpool side to Paris Saint-Germain when they had Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. You buy all of these superstars which excite the fans, but does that mean they’re going to gel and work well together?
“The signings are also going to upset Salah. He’s the main guy at Liverpool and they’ve done everything they can to keep him. He’s broken various records and has been the best winger in the league for some time. Bringing in all these new players who want to score goals won’t align with what Salah wants. It was the same at PSG. The team sheet looked great, but it didn’t work. At the moment, whatever Liverpool are doing isn’t working and they’re struggling.
“Intelligent players and great players can work together and it’ll take time, but it’s time they don’t have right now. Arsenal and Manchester City are going to keep winning games and if Liverpool can’t get back on track, they’ll be out of the title race within the next five weeks. Slot must find a way to fix things and keep everyone happy.”
GOAL Should Ekitike be starting every game for Liverpool?
Aliadiere believes that one of his fellow Frenchmen should be shown more trust at Anfield, with Hugo Ekitike having outperformed the likes of Isak and Salah when netting six goals through 12 appearances.
Aliadiere, who also graced the English top-flight with West Ham and Middlesbrough in his playing days, added: “I feel for Arne Slot having two expensive strikers to keep happy up front, but at the end of the day, Hugo Ekitike deserves to start. He began the season so well, and then they went and spent £130m on Isak. Where does he fit? Isak has to get match fit so he has to get some gametime, he’s not going to just sit on the bench all season.
“Let’s not forget that aside from those two players, you’ve got the best player in the league from last season, Mohamed Salah. Slot can’t just start to play in a 4-4-2 formation and tell Salah he needs to play more defensive just to accommodate the two strikers. It’s a tough job to manage that.
“If I were Ekitike, who was the main guy at the start of the season with plenty of goals and contributions, I’d understand Isak needs some gametime, but I’d be annoyed to be stuck on the bench. He was winning them games early in the season. It’s hard to get the balance right, particularly with two big players like Ekitike and Isak. Slot must manage their egos as well.”
Liverpool fixtures: Premier League return after Champions League win
Liverpool, on the back of four successive defeats, returned to winning ways last time out when recovering from going a goal down to crush Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 in Champions League competition. Ekitike was on target in that contest, while Wirtz registered two assists.
The Reds, who captured the Premier League title last season, will be back in action on Saturday when taking in a trip to Brentford. Slot faces plenty of big selection calls heading into that fixture at the Gtech Community Stadium.
