'Invisible!' - Liverpool legend takes aim at Salah over recent performances

Mohamed Salah is enduring a difficult time as Liverpool’s season draws to a close, scoring only one goal in his last six Premier League matches. 

The forward was again on the periphery on Monday night, as Liverpool slumped to a 3-3 draw against Aston Villa despite leading 3-1 with only five minutes to go. 

Salah’s influence waned considerably after the break, following a bright opening, in an performance broadly indicative of his overall form in recent weeks. 

The 31-year-old has looked short of his best during the second half of the season, ever since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations with a torn hamstring. 

He has scored only THREE goals since his two-goal salvo on New Year’s Day against Newcastle and even suffered a relapse to the hamstring injury during February’s league win at Brentford. 

Manager Jurgen Klopp was then involved in a touchline scuffle with his superstar striker during the recent game against West Ham, reflecting the disharmony and frustration currently in the Liverpool ranks. 

Discussing his performance at Villa Park on Monday night, Reds hero Steve Nicol was harsh about Salah, describing him as ‘invisible’ and putting his display in the ‘poor’ category alongside much of what Liverpool have produced in recent months. 

“Typical of his recent performances,” Nicol told ESPN when asked to rate Salah’s contributions. “That's not a compliment. He was pretty invisible. 

“It's just unfortunate that right now we're looking at him in that light, considering how great, for how long he's been. 

“Maybe it’s a little bit unfair but it goes along with the rhetoric of the end of the season that has been really poor from Liverpool. It's very difficult to be positive particularly on Salah because he hasn't done anything recently to help Liverpool. 

“But we really shouldn't forget how great he's been over such a long period of time.”

Salah's contract situation looms ahead of summer

This is a period of much uncertainty around Anfield with Klopp bowing out at the end of the season - along with much of the Reds’ backroom team. 

Feyenoord coach Arne Slot is primed to take over from Klopp and he along with new sporting director Richard Hughes will have some significant problems to solve when they are in situ. 

Not least is the Salah contract situation. 

The Egyptian legend is out of contract in 2025 and Liverpool will be against losing one of their best-ever goalscorers for nothing. 

Should a new bid from Al-Ittihad materialise this summer then his seven-year spell on Merseyside could be coming to an end in disappointing circumstances.