The form of Mohamed Salah is being “killed” by Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez as the Egypt international is better of being played through the middle.
This is the view of former Liverpool and Newcastle United left-back Jose Enrique.
For the most part, Salah has struggled this season as he has often been on the periphery without making an impact.
Liverpool are much-changed this term as they are without Sadio Mane following his move to Bayern Munich.
Nunez was signed from Benfica during the summer and he provides Jurgen Klopp with a different option through the middle.
The Reds are taking a while to get going this term and Klopp has conceded that they are already out of the Premier League title race.
Liverpool did find their feet against Rangers in their Champions League group stage clash earlier this week, though.
The sides were drawing 1-1 at half-time but Liverpool netted six goals after the break to run out 7-1 winners.
Nunez netted their fourth before Salah came off the bench to score the quickest hat-trick in the history of the Champions League. It only took him five minutes to claim the match ball.
Klopp will hope that his side take confidence from this win. This is needed as they face Man City at Anfield on Sunday.
Enrique is hopeful that this hat-trick helps Salah get “back to his best” after his form was “killed” by Nunez’s arrival.
“Mo Salah can definitely use the hat-trick to get back to his best,” Enrique told Midnite.
“In my opinion, the wingers used to be strikers really, close to the centre-backs, and Salah played yesterday as a striker. 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. For his confidence he needs goals.
“So I’m not sure what he’s going to do against City, it’s going to be interesting. Because when he plays that central role, he makes a difference, he scores goals. But it’s definitely a big step, and Salah has to play a central role, not as wide as he’s playing now.”
Enrique added: “Darwin Nunez scoring will give him confidence too. So there are a lot of positives. Apart from the result, it was about giving players that confidence.
“Four, five months ago they were fighting for all the honours. And now suddenly they’re bad players? They’re not.
“For Mo Salah, the big change for me was that he was playing more of a central role. But with Darwin now, it has changed for him.
“But hopefully with this hat-trick he can get his confidence back. But the massive test is against Manchester City.”
Enrique went onto acknowledge that Man City are “favourites” ahead of this weekend’s clash:
“City are the favourites and they are flying. City for me are going to be the champions, but it doesn’t mean Liverpool can’t win. Previously it’s been 50/50, but now it’s 70/30.
“When you’re a professional, it’s three points just like any other game. If you beat them, the assumption will be that Liverpool are back.
“But if they get a heavy defeat, it can put the team down again and you need to give this team confidence again.”
READ MORE: Alexander-Arnold tops form dip ranking of Liverpool players since quadruple bid
