Alan Shearer praises Mohamed Salah’s improved defensive work at Liverpool
Alan Shearer has highlighted a significant improvement in Mohamed Salah’s defensive work rate at Liverpool as the forward enjoys a rich vein of form.
The Match of the Day pundit observed a distinct tactical shift during recent performances by the Egypt captain.
Salah has recorded two goals and four assists in his last seven appearances since returning from international duty.
Slot commends forward’s intensity
Liverpool manager Arne Slot recently singled out the experienced forward’s industry following a 3-0 FA Cup victory over Brighton.
The Dutchman emphasised the importance of pressing from the front as his side looks to maintain momentum across multiple competitions.
“It is very nice to have him on the scoresheet again but what I like the most is he is scoring goals you can almost expect, but he also helps the team a lot defensively and that is something very positive,” said Slot.
“What the team also needs and is much more capable of playing every three days at an intensity level… so the future looks really bright.”
Speaking on ‘The Rest is Football’ podcast, Shearer echoed the manager’s assessment of the Reds’ talisman.
The Premier League’s all-time top scorer noted that Salah’s tracking back has been more evident than in previous stages of the season.
“He actually went out of his way, I think, to praise Mo Salah’s work defensively, which I’ve noticed in the last couple of games where he’s doing a lot more work defensively than I’ve seen him do for a while,” said Shearer.
Szoboszlai’s versatility hailed
The panel also discussed the impact of Dominik Szoboszlai, who has recently been utilised in multiple positions including right-back.
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards described the Hungarian international as Liverpool’s “outstanding player” this campaign.
“Szoboszlai has took his game to the next level,” said Richards.
“Whether he’s playing right back, centre mid, whether he’s playing number 10, he can play pretty much anywhere.”
Shearer agreed with the assessment, praising the midfielder’s “great engine” and ability to adapt to Slot’s tactical demands.