Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool have lost their bite and it could be time to drop Mo Salah

It was August 2012 and Rodgers’ team needed an own goal from Hearts defender Andy Webster for a 1-0 away win in the Europa League.

Embarrassingly, the Merseysiders did not manage a single shot on target.

And the same happened in Italy on Wednesday night as the Reds failed to test on-loan Arsenal keeper David Ospina.

The problem for boss Jurgen Klopp, whose side face champions Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, is his team have lost their offensive bite.

At the end of a deserved 1-0 defeat to Napoli, Mo Salah found himself in the unusual position of being asked to hand over his shirt by Carlo Ancelotti — the Serie A side’s boss.


The shoulder strapping the Egyptian has been forced to use since his injury in the Champions League final against Real Madrid was clearly on show.

Since being pulled to the ground by Sergio Ramos, Salah has not looked the same player.

He was never going to score 44 goals this season for Liverpool but at this rate, he will do well to get half of that. So far he has managed three in ten games.

He is sure to start against City but there will come a time when Klopp must bite the bullet and give his superstar a few games’ rest.

The injury-prone Daniel Sturridge, 29, looks in terrific form, as illustrated by his brilliant goal in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea.

Klopp’s problem is Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino are not playing well, either.

The German has every right to be concerned that, while his defence has improved and he has a better keeper in Alisson, the strikers are playing as individuals.

This is why Sturridge — if he can stay fit — and Dominic Solanke, 21, could play a major part in the next few weeks.

After the defeat to Napoli, midfielder Gini Wijnaldum said: “We have done it better this season, so we can do it but we must do it every game.

“That’s why we’re all so disappointed because we expect more.”

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