What Mohamed Salah should stop doing at Liverpool

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah’s recent penalty misses have left manager Jurgen Klopp with a big decision to make over who will take spot-kicks for the club in future.

The Egyptian star has failed to hit the target with his last two penalty attempts, costing Liverpool crucial points in their bid to secure a top-four finish this season. Salah has missed four of his last 11 penalties, a success rate of just 63.6%, and his profligacy from the spot has led to calls for a change in penalty taker.

Salah has previously spoken about his dislike for taking penalties, and his recent misses have only added to his frustration. He covered his face with his shirt after sliding his effort wide of the post in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday, knowing that his miss had cost his side a potential victory. Klopp refused to criticise Salah after the game but will need to make a decision over who takes penalties going forward.

Salah’s penalty record at Anfield is impressive, having scored 24 of his 29 attempts, a success rate of 82.76%.

However, four of his five misses have come since the start of the 2021-22 season, and his recent form from the spot is cause for concern. Salah’s misses against Bournemouth and Arsenal have cost Liverpool crucial points, and his failure to hit the target on both occasions is particularly worrying.

Salah’s penalty-taking technique is one of the more distinctive in the game, standing square-on before shuffling to the right only once the whistle is blown. Former Liverpool defender Stephan Warnock has criticised Salah’s run-up, describing it as awkward and limiting his options. Salah’s penalty kicks are generally hit hard with his sidefoot, but he rarely opts for subtlety, instead picking his spot and hitting the ball with power.

Klopp will need to consider his options carefully ahead of Liverpool’s next penalty, with Salah’s recent form suggesting that a change in penalty taker may be necessary. The Reds cannot afford to drop points in their quest to secure a top-four finish, and Salah’s penalty misses have highlighted the need for a reliable spot-kick taker.