Salah simply losing his spark

Winger's work rate, form come under fire

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Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, centre, Virgil van Dijk, left, and Curtis Jones look dejected after the match against Chelsea.

(REUTERS)

Mohamed Salah is Liverpool's "Egyptian King", but the forward's crown has lost a little of its lustre during a disappointing spell in which his work ethic has come under fire.

Salah was below his best again in Liverpool's damaging 2-1 defeat at Chelsea on Saturday as he wasted several chances and failed to help out in defence.

He has been absent from the scoresheet in five of Liverpool's seven Premier League games this season and the champions have suffered as a result. The loss at Stamford Bridge was Liverpool's third in eight days as Arsenal leapfrogged them to the top of the table.

Salah has scored just three goals and provided three assists in nine appearances in all competitions this season.

Even more alarming than Salah's statistics, mediocre by his stellar standards, was the sight of the 33-year-old taking little interest when Liverpool were under siege against Chelsea.

Without any protection from the forward, Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley was hauled off at halftime after earning a booking as he struggled to keep Chelsea at bay.