Latest news with #MoSalah
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Statistical Analsyis: Why Isak Makes More Sense Than Ekitike For Liverpool
Alexander Isak: The Safer Choice for Liverpool's Title Push This is an abridged version; the full article is available free on our 'It Was Always… Liverpool' Substack page: Proven Output in the Final Third Alexander Isak stands out as the smarter signing for Liverpool right now. While Hugo Ekitike shows promise, he remains a longer-term project. Isak is more developed and brings immediate impact. Over the past two seasons, he has consistently scored over 20 league goals and plays effectively in the right half-space. His presence could complement Mo Salah's role, or at worst, create some overlap in movement. Isak's threat value of 0.08xT edges out Ekitike's 0.07xT. He stays involved in build-up without sacrificing his focus in and around the box. His threat zones show a clear preference for the right side of the area, creating 30% and 12% threat from the RHS and box respectively, and an additional 48% from the right channel. His pass maps show strong links with right-sided teammates, suggesting high potential for combination play with Salah. Crucially, he also contributes aerially, scoring with his head and from set pieces, something Ekitike does not offer. That alone adds extra value to a squad that occasionally struggles on set plays. Off-Ball Weakness Needs Work Neither Isak nor Ekitike excels off the ball. Their pressing and interception numbers are below what you would expect from a top Liverpool forward. Event data from a recent match showed so little off-ball activity for Isak that no defensive zone could even be mapped. This is a concern, but not a deal breaker. Off-ball effort can be coached, and Arne Slot has improved players in this area before. With a smart rotation strategy, Isak can still become an essential part of Liverpool's attacking system while those areas are developed. Availability Remains a Concern Isak's availability is improving, but still a concern. Last season he logged around 3,300 minutes, while Liverpool generally require closer to 5,000 from a forward. Although his missed matches have dropped to nine last season, those nine could still prove costly during title-defining stretches. His situation mirrors Ibrahima Konaté's: manageable, but you have to plan around it. With proper squad depth, Isak's minutes can be maximised while protecting him from burnout or injury relapse. Worth the Investment At an estimated £120 million and £220,000 per week, Isak costs almost double what Ekitike would. But that cost brings Premier League experience, goals, aerial threat, and reliability. You avoid the performance dip often seen when transitioning from other European leagues to England. Ideally, Liverpool would sign both, using Isak now and developing Ekitike for the future. But if it's one or the other, Isak fits Liverpool's immediate ambitions. With Salah, Van Dijk and Alisson still delivering, the time to strike is now. Isak helps make that push possible.
Telegraph
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Why the 2025-26 season could be Mo Salah's worst in a Liverpool shirt
Our expert provides his analysis of bet365's player total goals market for Mo Salah in the 2025-26 Premier League. After his exceptional performances last term, we think the Egypt superstar could be in for a more modest campaign at Liverpool. Check out our analysis of the latest Premier League top-four and winner odds Mo Salah total Premier League goals odds 20 or more goals @ 1/3 with bet365 25 or more goals @ 7/4 with bet365 30 or more goals @ 8/1 with bet365 35 or more goals @ 33/1 with bet365 Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change. Already a bet365 member? Check out more free bets from the best betting sites, reviewed by our experts. Injury luck and penalties played part in Salah's success last term Bet365's total top-flight goals market for Salah has a highest bracket of 35 or more goals at 33/1 but even breaching the 20-goal mark, priced at 1/3, could be a struggle for the Liverpool hitman this season. Salah was scintillating in 2024-25, scoring 29 goals and laying on 18 assists as the Reds won the Premier League, but that was only the second time in his eight seasons at Anfield that he has netted 25 or more times. And while it was one of the best seasons from a Premier League player we have witnessed, it is worth noting that Salah stayed injury-free, playing all 38 matches. Additionally, Liverpool were awarded the most penalties in the Premier League last term and spot-kicks accounted for nine of his strikes – just over 31 per cent of his total top-flight haul. Liverpool could be hindered by international duties The next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, which takes place in Morocco from December 21 to January 18, will impact most Premier League clubs – but the Reds will be hit particularly hard with star man Salah captaining Egypt. He could miss as many as six domestic top-flight games as a result of his Afcon involvement, reducing his potential total of league appearances to a maximum of 32 if Egypt make the final. And in addition to the matches he may miss, Salah's involvement in the tournament could increase his chances of picking up an injury, given he was sidelined with a hamstring problem during the last edition in January 2024. Age not on his side The Egyptian could be the kind of player who improves with experience, and last season's stats do point to that. But the Liverpool forward turned 33 in June and, given that pace has long been a key part of his game, it is hard to see him getting close to the previous term's numbers again. After his last exceptional campaign – a haul of 32 goals in his first campaign with the Anfield club in 2017-18 – Salah netted a more modest 22 times in 38 matches the following term. And across his eight seasons in the Premier League, he has averaged 23 goals per campaign. That steady average is further proof that the 7/4 on offer for him to hit the 25-goal mark in 2025-26 offers little value. Assists could become bigger part of Salah's game An interesting angle for some punters comes in the total assists market, with Salah available at 2/1 with bet365 to manage 15 or more assists. He laid on 18 in the Premier League last season, and may lean into his creative threat and passing range more if his pace and goalscoring threat wane. But given that his total number of appearances could drop, that market is probably also best swerved. Salah's previous worst Premier League goal haul was 18 in 32 matches in 2023-24, and he could well fall short of that tally next term given that he is older and likely to play fewer top-flight matches.
Sky News
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Sky News
Diogo Jota's family and Liverpool players attending funeral
We're pausing our live coverage We will be resuming our updates tomorrow, when the funeral for Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva takes place. Here's a recap of what's happened today... Family mourns alongside fans at wake Jota and Silva's wake took place at a church in their hometown of Gondomar this afternoon. The wake was initially private and attended by the brothers' families, including Jota's wife Rute Cardoso, who he married less than two weeks before his death. Staff from Liverpool FC, and former teammates of both Jota and Silva, were also seen arriving. The doors of the chapel were later opened to members of the public, who queued around the square to say their final goodbyes. Funeral details announced The brothers' funeral is scheduled for 9am tomorrow, Gondomar's mayor's office said. Some Liverpool players and staff are expected to attend. More tributes pour in Liverpool forward Mo Salah and ex-Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho were among those who today shared moving tributes to Jota and Silva. At Anfield, former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson was seen wiping away tears as he placed a floral tribute outside the stadium.
Scottish Sun
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Distraught Mo Salah reveals he has been left ‘frightened' by Diogo Jota's death as he posts heartbreaking tribute
MO'S TRIBUTE Distraught Mo Salah reveals he has been left 'frightened' by Diogo Jota's death as he posts heartbreaking tribute Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MO SALAH posted a heartbreaking tribute to Diogo Jota while revealing he's been left "frightened" by the Liverpool star's death. Jota, 28, was tragically killed in a car crash along with his brother Andre Silva in Spain on Wednesday night. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Mo Salah has paid tribute to Diogo Jota following the Liverpool star's tragic death Credit: Getty The Liverpool forward was travelling back to England via ferry just days after marrying his childhood sweetheart and the mother of his three children. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.
Daily Mirror
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
'Diogo Jota epitomised Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool – you'd forget who you support'
The best tribute you can pay Diogo Jota is he was a footballer who made you forget your allegiance. A forward who played the game how it should be played. How you'd play it on the playground with your mates at break time. He'd jink in and out of defenders like we all have in our dreams at one point or another before realising a career in professional football is out of the question. And that's probably why he was so beloved amongst fans far and wide. Playing with such freedom and passion was justification of the position he'd worked himself into. You'd never catch Diogo Jota moaning at a decision. You'd never catch Diogo Jota scrapping with an opponent. And for all the cruel, never-ending injuries he had to endure, you never once caught Diogo Jota bemoaning his luck. He simply got his head down and put in the hard graft to make sure he was back on the pitch and doing what he did best. The fact that he was travelling back to England at the time of his death, going by car late at night after being advised to avoid flying in order to make sure he was back in time for pre-season testing really does say it all. It truly is such a shame so much of his career was spent sidelined from one knock to the next, because if he'd managed to avoid injuries like team-mates Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, he'd have certified his position in the annals of Premier League folklore long ago and almost definitely would've turned his 63 strikes in the English top flight into triple figures. Of course, his tragically premature death means he will forever hold a special place in history. But how cruel that it has to be this way. As a Southampton fan who grew up watching Liverpool cherry-pick our top talent at will, it's fair to say I wasn't the biggest fan of theirs. But the culture Jurgen Klopp created made it impossible to hate them. And Jota epitomised that. Not only was he so easy on the eye on the pitch, but he was also just a top, top guy off it. Not a bad word has or will be said about him. The outpouring of emotion from the football community is testament to both the footballer and the man Diogo Jota was. A class act who played football for the love of the game - the game that has lost a real gem. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
