Liverpool need no reminder of Mohamed Salah's class, but when the striker turned around to set up Cody Gakpo for a goal in a 5-0 win over West Ham, the question arose, why hasn't the 32-year-old been given a new contract?
Trent Alexander-Arnold did the same when he scored in the 55th minute, helping coach Arne Slot's team increase the gap to 4 goals.
It was Liverpool's easiest win yet against a lacklustre West Ham side. The three points also extended their unbeaten run to 23 games in all competitions. And most importantly, it was a time when Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk underlined their importance at Anfield.
Salah and Alexander-Arnold have grabbed the headlines with their direct contributions to the goals. However, Van Dijk’s commanding role in defence has been equally important. Especially in the early stages of the game when West Ham showed signs of life and threatened to score.
Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk will be free to speak to clubs outside England this week as their Anfield contracts near the end of the season.
"The only thing on my mind is that Liverpool want to win the league and I want to be part of that. I will do my best to help the team win the trophy. There are a few other teams catching up with us and we need to stay focused, stay humble and keep going," Salah said when asked about his future.
Uncertainty over the futures of key players has hung over Liverpool since the start of the season, with fans waiting for any update, however small, to give them any indication of whether their stars will sign new contracts.
Despite doubts over Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool remain undaunted and appear unfazed by talk of whether they will stay or go.
But things could get messy, and how Liverpool deal with the speculation in the coming months is perhaps the single issue likely to derail their title bid.
That seems an unlikely prospect at the moment. Slot and his players have been far superior to the rest of the pack so far this season. Liverpool are also three points clear of the chasing pack in the Champions League.
But the noise off the pitch can become a distraction, especially if it coincides with a run of poor results. These are all issues that Liverpool will have to deal with in the coming weeks and months. There are huge financial risks associated with each of these stars, in terms of wages Liverpool will have to pay or the cost of finding replacements.
