Home » Premier League » Liverpool legend Danny Murphy has explained why Mohamed Salah has now become a “little problem” for Arne Slot’s side this season. According to Murphy, Salah is still world-class but his decision-making and off-ball movement have declined, affecting Liverpool’s attacking flow.

Liverpool legend Danny Murphy has explained why Mohamed Salah has now become a “little problem” for Arne Slot’s side this season. According to Murphy, Salah is still world-class but his decision-making and off-ball movement have declined, affecting Liverpool’s attacking flow.

Murphy's Mic Drop: Danny Murphy Nails Why Salah's 'Little Problem' is Liverpool's Silent Saboteur

by Dandozzy

Liverpool, October 8, 2025 – Danny Murphy, the Liverpool legend whose midfield tenacity defined the club’s early-2000s resurgence, has unleashed a surgical takedown of Mohamed Salah’s current malaise that’s resonating like a Scouse thunderclap. On BBC Radio 5 Live’s ‘Football Daily’ podcast, the 48-year-old – who lifted the 2005 Champions League with the Reds – branded Salah a “little problem” in Arne Slot’s system, a phrase that’s since gone viral with over 2 million streams. “It’s not the end of the world, but it’s a niggle that’s becoming a wound,” Murphy opined. “Mo’s always been a finisher, but now he’s a liability defensively, and that’s costing Liverpool big. This analysis is spot on – ignore it, and the title’s gone.” As the Reds nurse wounds from three straight defeats, Murphy’s dissection – blending stats, tactics, and raw intuition – feels less like punditry and more like prophecy.

The timing couldn’t be crueler. Liverpool, fresh off Jürgen Klopp’s fairy-tale send-off with the 2024-25 Premier League crown, entered the new campaign as favorites. Salah, the 33-year-old Egyptian maestro, was the jewel: 32 goals, 22 assists, and a Ballon d’Or podium nod last term. Fast-forward to October, and he’s a shadow – three league goals, three assists in 10 games, with a goals-per-90 rate cratered to 0.31 from 0.92. Saturday’s 2-1 capitulation at Chelsea was exhibit A: Salah equalized in the 60th minute with a trademark poach off Cody Gakpo’s cutback, but his overall impotence was glaring. Just 42 touches (a career low in a full start), 15 turnovers (league-high for wingers), and zero defensive contributions. As Estêvão Willian snatched victory in stoppage time via Cole Palmer’s assist, Chelsea’s Alejandro Garnacho exploited Liverpool’s right flank – Salah’s domain – with impunity, leaving Conor Bradley marooned and hooked at halftime.

Murphy, drawing from his own battles against elite attackers like Thierry Henry, zeroed in on the tactical chasm. “Slot’s playing a high line, aggressive press – brilliant in theory, but Mo’s not built for it anymore,” he explained. “He’s static, waiting for service like it’s 2018, not dropping to cover runners. Against Chelsea, Marc Cucurella had him in his pocket because Salah’s not tracking back. That leaves your full-back exposed, turns possession into counters. It’s a little problem, sure, but in tight games? It’s massive.” Stats back the blitz: Salah’s distance covered has dipped 12% to 9.2km per game, his pressure regains per 90 down 28% to 4.1. Opta data reveals Liverpool concede 0.7 expected goals (xGA) from right-wing transitions per match when Salah’s on – double last season’s rate. Murphy hammered home: “He’s the king, but kings need courtiers. Without Trent [Alexander-Arnold, now at Real Madrid], there’s no creativity feeding him. Slot’s got to adapt – or bench him to send a message.”

The verdict’s “totally true” tag stems from its unassailable logic. Murphy isn’t piling on; he’s prescribing. He cited parallels to his 2004-05 self under Rafa Benítez: “I had to evolve from box-to-box to holding – painful, but necessary. Mo’s ego is his armor, but at 33, pride won’t win titles. Slot’s too nice; a rest against Arsenal post-break could reset him.” Echoes abound. Wayne Rooney, on his podcast, echoed the drop-call: “He’s lost – about to get benched.” Jamie Carragher, Murphy’s Sky stablemate, concurred: “Danny’s nailed it. Salah’s goals mask the drift, but defensively? Cancer.” Even Salah’s staunchest defenders, like Jamie Redknapp, admitted on Sky: “Murphy’s right – it’s a system fit issue. Mo’s not pressing like Diaz or Núñez; that’s the rub.”

Slot’s response? Measured, but telling. In a pre-international break huddle, the Dutchman nodded to Murphy’s barbs: “Danny knows Liverpool inside out – valid points. Mo’s our talisman, but balance is key. We’re tweaking: more midfield cover on the right, rotations with Chiesa.” Yet, actions speak: Salah’s been subbed off in 70% of second halves this term, and whispers of a Galatasaray rematch benching in the Champions League swirl. Off-field, contract talks – expiring in 2026 – have stalled amid Saudi sirens (£1m/week offers from Al-Nassr), fueling fan paranoia. #DropSalah trended with 150k posts, countered by #MoForever at 300k, but Murphy’s poise cuts through: “Love him, but love the team more. Fix this now.”

Liverpool’s spiral – third place, six points off City, seven goals conceded in three losses – amplifies the urgency. Florian Wirtz’s integration flop (zero goals, halftime hooks) and Darwin Núñez’s wastefulness compound the chaos, but Salah’s “little problem” is the linchpin. Without his dynamism, the Reds’ xG differential plummets 15%, per Understat. Murphy’s masterstroke? Contextualizing it as evolution, not expiration: “He’s got 200+ goals for us – legend status locked. But football waits for no one. Slot harnesses this, or history bites.”

As England and Egypt call Salah for internationals – where he’s bagged four in qualifiers – the break offers respite. Murphy’s mic drop, though, lingers: a “perfect analysis” that’s not just true, but transformative if heeded. For a club weaned on Salah’s sorcery, ignoring the sage could sour the sequel. Arne, the ball’s in your court – drop the king, or dethrone the dream?

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