Stuart Pearce explains the one big difference with Liverpool and Mohamed Salah this season
Former Man City boss says the Reds have lost their cool and are ‘snatching at everything’ in front of goal
Stuart Pearce believes he has identified why Liverpool and star man Mohamed Salah have struggled to rediscover their devastating attacking form this season.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are joint-top of the Premier League table, sitting on 19 points alongside defending champions Manchester City - with the clubs going head-to-head on Sunday.
And yet, the Reds still look off the pace compared their form in the second-half of last season, which saw them terrify defences up and down the country and across Europe.
Fans have been happy and relieved to notice a big improvement in defence, but their usually free-flowing attack has not been as clinical, with Salah – last season’s golden boot winner and Premier League record breaker – struggling for goals.
And former England defender and Man City boss Pearce believes it’s because Liverpool have lost their composure in front of the net.
He also claims opposition teams are more aware of their strengths and are specifically preparing to frustrate their flying front-three of Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
Speaking on Friday’s Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast, Pearce said: “I’ve covered Liverpool’s last three games, and they’re snatching at everything.
“Last year when things are going your way, you don’t thinking about it , you just get passes off and shots off and everything works.
“But at the moment the Liverpool players, and especially Mo Salah, just seem to be tensing up a little bit.”
“Everything Salah touched last year was magnificent,” Sports Breakfast host Brazil added.
“He was knocking them in like Messi did the other night [in Barcelona’s 4-2 Champions League win over Tottenham], he was scoring for fun.”
Pearce replied: “This year defences are a little more aware of him and them as a team.
“They’ve had good opportunities in the last third to score goals. I wouldn’t say they had great chances against Napoli, I think they snuffed Liverpool out really well [in a late 1-0 defeat for the Reds in the Champions League].
“But in the previous two games against Chelsea I thought they had good opportunities to score and they just snatched at it. Mane was guilty of that and Salah was probably the most guilty of not finding a pass or a finish.
“They’re just finding it a little bit difficult.
“Sunday’s game, my goodness what a game that will be.”