Chiesa backed to ‘replace’ Salah amid claim Liverpool new boy can be ‘even better’ under Slot

Chiesa backed to ‘replace’ Salah amid claim Liverpool new boy can be ‘even better’ under Slot

Jamie Carragher feels Liverpool now have “genuine quality to replace Mohamed Salah” in Federico Chiesa, while comparison between the pair suggests the new boy can thrive at Anfield.

Liverpool have seen Salah thrive for years in their red shirt. He has now been directly involved in 306 goals in 352 games for the Anfield outfit.

In the days of Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, Salah was a vital cog in a mesmerising trident up top.

Since their departures, his level has remained the same, and he has made the players around him better.

This term, in three games, Salah has already scored three goals and assisted another three, highlighting his centrality not only as a goalscorer, but as a creator.

Where he has previously been one of the only attackers at Liverpool who is proficient on the right-hand side, the signing of Chiesa from Juventus means there is another at the club.

According to former Red, Carragher, the signing means the Merseysiders will be in a better spot if the Egyptian superstar has to miss games than previously.

“I think the biggest thing it gives Liverpool is actual genuine quality to replace Mo Salah, when he is rested at times or maybe has a slight knock,” Carragher said on Sky Sports.

Salah now has competition

Indeed, the pundit detailed how Chiesa is much more able to play on the right side than Liverpool’s other attacking players, and he can provide them and Salah with competition.

“Because when you think of all the other attacking options Liverpool have, the majority of them feel more comfortable on the left. So any of them when they play on the right – whether it’s [Darwin] Nunez or [Diogo] Jota or [Luis] Diaz or [Cody] Gakpo – it never feels right,” he said.

Chiesa, more often than not, is playing from that side, so I think it is a great addition.

“We talk about Manchester United in the past having four forwards [for two striking spots in 1998-99] famously in the Treble season. Liverpool play with three forwards and they’ve got six now, so there’s a healthy competition.”

Chiesa’s addition could also ease the potential departure of Salah. The forward has himself stated that as it stands, this is his “last year” at the club, with nobody having spoken to him about a contract yet, and his expiring at the end of the season.

As such, if Chiesa performs this term and the Egpytian is to leave, things won’t feel as bad as they would have before.

Chiesa backed to be ‘even better’ under Slot

And that Chiesa could take to the Premier League like a duck to water is suggested because of Salah’s own transition from Italy to England – bagging 32 league goals in his first term after moving from Roma – by journalist Luigi Garlando.

“Leaving our championship for Liverpool didn’t hurt Mo Salah that much. Let’s hope then that England will soon give us back Federico from the Wembley ’21 version and maybe even better, thanks to the quality of the Premier League,” he said.

Chiesa’s highest goals in a single season is 14, so him becoming a better player could see him get closer to Salah’s level, who himself had only bagged 19 goals in his most proficient season before moving to Anfield.