Liverpool could unleash Salah in a new role by hiring “unique” manager

Liverpool supporters might be dreaming of a golden crescendo to the 2023/24 marketing campaign that may hand Jurgen Klopp a becoming send-off after a few years of service at Anfield, high of the Premier League desk after 24 matches.

Naturally, defending champions Manchester Metropolis are scorching on their heels, whereas Arsenal are lurking ominously behind having dispatched the Reds on the Emirates Stadium firstly of February.

No matter occurs, the enhancements on final yr’s dismal efforts communicate of a wealthy future, no matter Klopp’s looming departure.

After all, the precise supervisor will should be introduced in to protect the squad’s fluency and calibre…

The most recent on Liverpool’s supervisor hunt

Xabi Alonso has been named because the “frontrunner” to succeed Klopp on Merseyside by The Athletic’s James Pearce and is clearly favoured by the Liverpool assist, high of the Bundesliga this season with Bayer Leverkusen and producing some scintillating soccer.

Nonetheless, he isn’t the one candidate, with Brighton & Hove Albion supervisor Roberto De Zerbi considered one of many favourites, with Fabrizio Romano confirming to GIVEMESPORT earlier in February that he’s “on the listing.”

Liverpool had reportedly proven curiosity within the Italian supervisor one yr in the past when the struggling squad’s woes had sprouted dialog about Klopp’s future, so the groundwork has clearly been made forward of a attainable appointment.

Why De Zerbi is ideal for Mohamed Salah

Talking of De Zerbi’s strengths as a supervisor, Manchester Metropolis boss Pep Guardiola was most effusive in his reward, saying that he’s “probably the most influential managers within the final 20 years” and that “there isn’t a group enjoying the way in which they play; it’s distinctive.”

The 44-year-old’s model is one thing of a double-edged sword, with Brighton suffocating opponents as they dominate possession and put on them down with intricate passing patterns, although this high-output, vertical system has additionally spawned the joint-most errors resulting in a objective within the Premier League this season with seven – alongside relegation favourites Sheffield United.

Liverpool usually are not actually related to a possession-based recreation, implementing a high-octane, self-branded ‘heavy metallic’ model of soccer, however they’re third within the desk for passes made and so would be capable of transition into De Zerbi’s set-up seamlessly.

De Zerbi would additionally discover nice success with Mohamed Salah, who he might shift right into a central function to greatest swimsuit his pass-heavy artistic strategy.

The 31-year-old Egyptian has been in beautiful kind this season and has posted 18 targets and 9 assists throughout all competitions for Liverpool, although he’s now not the dribble-proficient winger that after blitzed Premier League defenders with ease.

As per FBref, the £350k-per-week objective machine ranks among the many high 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues over the previous yr for touches within the attacking penalty space however solely the highest 39% for progressive carries and the highest 67% for profitable take-ons per 90.

Certainly, he is finishing lower than one dribble per match within the top-flight this time period (0.9); evaluate that to his record-breaking first marketing campaign in Liverpool colors – making 2.2 dribbles per fixture – and it is clear that he has modified his function in Klopp’s squad, albeit to devastating impact.

He is additionally been extra artistic and fewer wreak-havoc-with-unrelenting-striking, denoting a contemporary maturity and emphasis on his ball-playing and playmaking colleges.

On condition that De Zerbi’s system requires development and vitality down the flanks to overlap and latch onto the sequential passing strikes from the centre – Kaoru Mitoma, Solly March and Simon Adingra all surpass Salah in dribbles made this time period – it is perhaps smart to play Liverpool’s essential man in a central function, creating and powering the set-up.