Jose Enrique believes that the signing of Darwin Nunez has had a detrimental effect on the overall game of Mo Salah.
The second half substitute produced a cameo for the ages on Wednesday evening against Rangers when Salah scored a six-minute hat-trick, the fastest in Champions League history.
It was a reminder to any doubters who believed he was resting on his laurels after signing the big contract extension in the summer that when he is in the mood, Salah remains one of the most formidable attacking forces in the game today.
The iconic Liverpool front three lost one of its key members in the summer when Sadio Mane left to join Bayern Munich.
With Mane heading for the exit door, in came Darwin Nunez from Benfica.
And while he is not a like for like replacement in any shape or form and due to looking to play to the strengths of the new signing, Enrique believes it has taken away some of the strengths of Salah forcing him out wide away from the central role where he is so dangerous.
Metro (per Midnite) reported the former Liverpool fullback as saying:
"Mo Salah can definitely use the hat-trick to get back to his best.In my opinion, the wingers used to be strikers really, close to the centre-backs, and Salah played as a striker (against Rangers.)
"But now with Darwin Nunez it has changed a little bit, he is the one who will run into the spaces and you have the wingers as being more open.
"For Luis Diaz this is helping him, because he’s that kind of winger, but it’s killing Salah.
Enrique said that it is a difficult balancing act for Jurgen Klopp, but for him there is only one answer to the conundrum.
“For the confidence (of Nunez) he needs goals. So I’m not sure what he’s going to do against [Man] City, it’s going to be interesting. Because when Salah plays that central role, he makes a difference, he scores goals. But it’s definitely a big step, and has to play a central role, not as wide as he’s playing now."
While saying that Nunez is hurting the impact of Salah, Enrique also believes that unfair expectations have been placed upon the shoulders of the Uruguayan international.
“I think they have a weaker squad than they had last season.
"You need to keep improving. You can lose Mane, even if I don’t understand it, but then they go for a 23-year-old from Portugal.
"It was the first season he played really well in Portugal, and then he’s coming here and you’re giving him all the pressure of a number 9 at Liverpool, and you think he’s going to be like Mane?”
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