Mohamed Salah continues to have the backing of the Liverpool dressing room despite his recent struggles in front of goal.
Six club games without a goal represents his longest scoreless run in more than three years, but the Egypt star was still at ease when he spoke to the media after the Reds' FA Cup semi-final victory on Saturday. And while he might not have scored since converting a penalty against Brighton on March 12, he continues to contribute in other ways.
This has not been lost on his teammates, with right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold suggesting recent criticism has been unfair. Indeed, the England international has gone as far as suggesting the high standards set by Salah earlier in the season are beginning to get used against him and he is a "victim of his own success".
“I think really it’s unfair at the moment, what people are saying," Alexander-Arnold said. The levels he gets himself too, he’s kind of a victim of his own success.
"He’s still top goalscorer in the Premier League and he’s only one behind me in terms of assists!! And people are saying he’s having a bad run of form?! He’s nearly top goalscorer in the Champions League as well."
Salah's 20 league goals put him three clear of his nearest challenger, Tottenham's Son Heung-min. In Europe, meanwhile, his eight goals put him fourth in the overall standings with two of those above him - Robert Lewandowski and Sebastien Haller - already eliminated from the competition.
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Salah's form has come at a complicated time for a number of reasons. Some have questioned whether contract talks are acting as a distraction, while his penalty miss in Egypt's World Cup play-off defeat was clearly painful, but his teammate continues to have his back.
“What he has done for us over the last five seasons has been outstanding," Alexander-Arnold continued. "Look, it’s unfair for people to say he is going through a bad patch.
"We all have belief that he is going to score goals for us. It’s only a matter of time before he puts it in the back of the net again. That’s it.”
Salah's record in front of goal hasn't caused too many problems for his team, with other forwards sharing the goals between them. Sadio Mane scored twice in the FA Cup semi-final, while Roberto Firmino's double helped Liverpool past Benfica in the Champions League.
Liverpool may also take the positives from how Salah responded the last time he went more than six games without scoring. On that occasion, he ended the 2018-19 season with seven goals in his last 10 games, including a goal from the spot in the Champions League final.
Next up for Jurgen Klopp's side is a Premier League double-header at Anfield, with Manchester United and Everton the visitors. Now would be the ideal time for Salah to rediscover his scoring touch.
