Mohamed Salah was the last person to stand in front of the stands to applaud in gratitude to the fans after being eliminated from the Champions League by PSG. But then, the number of fans at Anfield was less than half. That was not the ending that the match deserved, but perhaps it was inevitable.
In that moment, memories of Salah's glorious Champions League nights with Liverpool seemed to rush back. That was the devastating victory over AS Roma in the semi-finals of 2018, the classic comeback against Barcelona - a match Salah could only witness due to injury - or the penalty against Tottenham Hotspur in the final. Besides, there were also goals against Manchester City, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Inter Milan.
However, this time's opponent is Paris Saint-Germain and everything did not go as expected. The fifth match, also the last time Salah faced PSG in Liverpool colors, started from the bench again. Two 0-2 defeats made Liverpool no longer have the opportunity to close their journey in Europe with a beautiful ending in Budapest in May. And of course, Salah could not recreate the glorious ending like Kevin Keegan or Graeme Souness did.
With Salah and Andy Robertson, the European journey with Liverpool is clearly divided into two phases: 3 Champions League finals in the first 5 seasons, but not once in the semi-finals in the last 4 seasons. Last week in Paris, Salah was not even used, and in this match, he was brought on earlier than Arne Slot expected.
However, Slot's personnel decision still caused much controversy. It was a forgettable evening for Liverpool's attack, each person in a different way. Salah suffered mental damage, while Hugo Ekitike had serious physical problems. Slot admitted he was worried that the French striker's season might have ended.
In the opposite direction, Alexander Isak returned to the squad. "The positive thing is that Isak has returned" - Slot shared. However, Liverpool did not earn much value from the first start of the £125 million contract in 2026.
Instead of bringing a new start, Isak's appearance revealed old problems. The Swedish player approached goals twice, but one of them fell offside. According to Slot's explanation, he was forced to let Isak start due to concerns about fitness if the match lasted. However, reality shows that Liverpool lacked persuasiveness when he was on the field - similar to the defeats against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest.
Statistics show that Isak only had a meager 5 touches (excluding offside situations), while his replacement Cody Gakpo had up to 25 touches in just 45 minutes and created more threats.
Ekitike's early departure caused Liverpool to chase the score without the two most expensive strikers in club history - a clear sign that their plan has deviated after a record summer transfer window. Meanwhile, Florian Wirtz could not penetrate PSG's defense.
Slot gave a remarkable number. Before the match, the trio Wirtz - Isak - Ekitike had only played together for 88 minutes, and after the match it was 119 minutes. They scored a total of 3 goals - one by Ekitike against Eintracht Frankfurt and two equally between him and Isak in the match against Tottenham. "I would be very surprised if they could play together even more in the rest of the season" - Slot admitted.
Even when Salah is added, the total time this quartet appeared together is only 28 minutes. If Ekitike's injury is as serious as feared, Slot may never find the formula for his dream attack.
The trio Wirtz, Ekitike and Isak are expected to be the foundation for the post-Salah era, but their operation is still a big question mark. Reality shows that Liverpool and Slot seem to have no clear answer.
Against PSG, Ekitike had to play to the right - a position that is not his forte, and also Salah's familiar area. This continued to be a familiar scenario when many players were pushed out of their forte positions to make way for Isak.
However, Ekitike's debut season still left many positive signs. He may be unstable and not really effective in pressing, but possesses speed, technique and remarkable fighting spirit. With 17 goals, Ekitike shows the potential to become Liverpool's long-term center forward and is considered the most successful signing in the transfer window worth 450 million pounds.
In the opposite direction, Isak - the most expensive signing - is a big disappointment. Not only at Liverpool, he is also considered one of the least effective deals in the Premier League this season.
Now, when Ekitike is at risk of being out for the rest of the season, Isak's role becomes more important than ever. Liverpool has lost 4 out of 6 Premier League matches where he started. When the season is only 6 rounds away, the Champions League ticket is still threatened and Salah is preparing to say goodbye, Liverpool's hope may depend on whether Isak can save the situation or not.
