Liverpool defeated Brighton & Hove Albion in a weekend that was dominated by discuss of Mohamed Salah. That is nothing new, however the circumstances surrounding the Egyptian attacker actually are.
The 33-year-old accomplished a lap round Anfield after the 2-0 win within the Premier League, much-needed after the problems all through the marketing campaign. He was the final one on the pitch, and emotion radiated from him.
However was that goodbye? It did not fairly really feel like goodbye. Salah is heading off to the African Cup of Nations now, and he can be absent for round a month. After his inflammatory outburst at Leeds United one week in the past, all of a Liverpool persuasion have been on tenterhooks as as to whether the membership legend will go away in bitter circumstances this winter.
Regardless, Liverpool may do with a brand new ahead, having struggled for fluency and collective steadiness this season.
Liverpool’s January switch plans
FSG consider that one or two calculated signings this winter would go a good distance towards setting Liverpool’s issues to rights. And given the membership’s abject, error-prone defending, many are calling for a brand new centre-half.
However steadiness throughout the frontline is simply as necessary, with Hugo Ekitike one thing of an outlier in hitting the bottom operating in entrance of objective this season. In July, the Frenchman, 23, left Eintracht and signed for Liverpool in a £69m deal, and he has scored ten targets to this point.
Salah’s ageing legs and the sale of Luis Diaz have impacted Slot’s facet, and FSG really feel that Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo may present the reply to a couple of their issues.
Based on TEAMtalk, Manchester United’s curiosity within the Ghana worldwide is getting stronger, however Liverpool stay the frontunner, together with his choice being to hitch the Anfield facet.
Semenyo, 26, has been among the many Premier League’s most in-form forwards this season, and Manchester Metropolis and Tottenham Hotspur are additionally on the point of current provides of their very own however Semenyo prefers a change to the present title holders. His £65m launch clause goes stay in a fortnight.
Why Semenyo may make Ekitike a celebrity
Semenyo’s alliance of energy and talent and efficiency within the ultimate third has created a very particular Premier League star. His kind this season has opened the doorway to a big-money transfer to an elite membership, and pundit Chris Waddle has even referred to as him “the most effective winger within the nation”.
A direct and dynamic wideman, Semenyo has that uncommon talent of two-footedness, comfy on his proper or his left. Three of his Premier League targets this season have been scored together with his proper foot, and the opposite three together with his left.
His unpredictability and fleet-footedness may assist take Ekitike, already in tremendous fettle, to the following stage. As per Sofascore, Semenyo has averaged 1.6 dribbles and gained 6.5 duels per top-flight fixture this season.
This might be the spark for Liverpool’s new focal frontman, who’s leaps and bounds above report signing Alexander Isak at this second in time.
In opposition to Brighton on Saturday, Ekitike scored a brace, his second in as many league outings. Not only a pinpoint striker, he’s cell and clever and electrical when on the ball. The entire package deal, and on his approach to turning into the participant Liverpool paid £125m for in a ready-made model in Isak.
By including width and power to Liverpool’s flanks, Semenyo would create new pockets for Ekitike to shift into.
Already, the brand new recruit has made mincemeat of lots of Liverpool’s opponents, even in opposition to the backdrop of such drama and disharmony.
Maybe his likeness to the summer-sold Diaz underlines sporting director Richard Hughes’ ambitions with this one. He’s a participant who has the capability to thrive as a starring member of Slot’s title-challenging crew, and teammate Justin Kluivert has referred to as him a “world-class” participant.
Premier League – Semenyo vs Diaz
Stats (per 90)
Semenyo (25/26)
Diaz (24/25)
Objectives scored
0.43
0.49
Assists
0.21
0.19
Photographs taken
2.29
2.66
Shot-creating actions
3.43
4.39
Touches (to pen)
4.43
6.27
Go completion (%)
71.3
84.2
Progressive passes
3.65
4.13
Progressive carries
3.65
4.05
Profitable take-ons
1.64
1.99
Ball recoveries
5.00
3.94
Tackles + interceptions
2.00
1.73
Knowledge by way of FBref
Ekitike, too, is minimize from worthy fabric, and although it has been a tricky season for the Anfield facet, there are indicators of a facet stabalising, and this might make sure that Liverpool return to their finest kind.

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