Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge claims Mo Salah’s form does warrant him being benched for the game against Manchester City this weekend.

The Egyptian international was poor on Tuesday night versus Benfica and he has looked short of confidence in recent games, and Aldridge claims doubts over his future at the club are likely to be playing on his mind:

“If you’re going by form, Mo wouldn’t get in the team. As good as he is, as great as he is, as much as we love him, on present form he’s struggling. People might say he’s had his head turned but his contract situation doesn’t help. He hasn’t scored from open play for six weeks and he’s just not himself on the pitch.”

It would be a massive call to drop Salah and it’s not a decision that Jurgen Klopp is likely to make, despite having a wealth of other options at his disposal.

Out of the five main forwards, Salah is the only one who prefers to play on the right flank. Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota both favour the left-hand side or being deployed through the middle.

Luis Diaz, meanwhile, is at his best on the left, while Roberto Firmino is usually selected as a false nine. You could arguably start Mane on the right, with Diaz on the left, but it would be a huge surprise if Salah isn’t in the team on Sunday.