Liverpool ahead Mohamed Salah’s lack of type makes the four-time Premier League golden boot winner “fairly harmful”, Leeds United supervisor Daniel Farke has mentioned.
Salah struck 29 instances in 2024/25 to complete on six objectives greater than another top-flight participant, however the revered ahead has scored 5 instances in 18 matches in all competitions this season and was dropped for the primary time within the marketing campaign within the Reds’ 2-0 win at West Ham of their final away sport, remaining an unused substitute.
“The extra video games he has with no purpose or help, the extra doubtless it’s that he’ll rating or help,” mentioned Farke, acknowledging a “troublesome” run of type for Salah, whose four-goal tally within the prime flight this time period has been matched by teammate Cody Gakpo.
“We simply should make it possible for the spell lasts another sport. I’m fairly certain he will likely be there, on the finish of the season, with many objectives.
“He’s nonetheless there – he’s the very best scorer within the league for them – so I’ve little doubt he’ll ship unbelievable issues this season. He has accomplished that for all of his profession.”
Leeds vs Liverpool: Van Dijk, Konate ‘excellent’
Leeds host Liverpool on Saturday after incomes their finest outcome thus far this season on Wednesday, beating title hopefuls Chelsea 3-1 at Elland Highway by means of objectives by Jaka Bijol, Ao Tanaka and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The outcome lifted final season’s Championship winners three factors away from the relegation zone, whereas Liverpool – who left Salah on the bench till half-time – didn’t win for the tenth time of their final 14 matches in all competitions with a 1-1 draw at residence to Sunderland, who would have gained however for Nordi Mukiele’s 81st-minute personal purpose.
“Even [current Premier League top scorer] Erling Haaland had a interval when he was not scoring,” Farke mentioned of Salah, additionally providing his backing to centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.
“It’s then all the time within the highlight as a result of it’s so uncommon. I wouldn’t label, with Van Dijk and Konate on the again, that they’re struggling.
“They’re excellent, world-class defenders and even the very best on the planet typically have a sport or no matter the place they don’t have their finest sport.
“In the event you’re a striker, typically you possibly can lose the ball and and no-one is just too privy to it. However one little mistake within the again row is very often punished and criticised.
“I’ve little doubt that we’ll face prime centre-backs – they’ve confirmed it over a few years, and this season I’ve additionally seen them in lots of video games: in opposition to Actual Madrid [a 1-0 Champions League home victory] it was a clean-sheet win, in opposition to West Ham it was a clean-sheet win.
“I don’t need to evaluate West Ham with Actual Madrid, however at Champions League and Premier League stage they’ve delivered clear sheets.”
Leeds vs Chelsea: Farke backs gamers
Farke remained the odds-on favorite on Thursday to grow to be the following Premier League boss to go away their submit, with Reds counterpart Arne Slot additionally among the many frontrunners after a dire run by the requirements the Dutchman set on his option to successful the title in his debut season in England in 2024/25.
Leeds had misplaced six of their earlier seven video games earlier than brushing apart the Blues, though they have been unlucky to lose to a 91st-minute Manchester Metropolis winner of their previous away sport.
“The great factor we are able to additionally take out of the Chelsea sport is that we’ve confirmed we are able to rating kind of out of each state of affairs: set-pieces, counter-attacks, out of possession, by creating by means of the centre and the wings,” urged Farke.
“What I like about my crew is that we’ve scored three objectives in opposition to a very good defending aspect in Chelsea, and we might have scored a number of extra. I all the time again my gamers to create one thing and rating objectives.”
Methods to watch Leeds vs Liverpool: TV channel, on-line dwell stream
Leeds vs Liverpool kicks off at 17:30 GMT (12:30 ET / 09:30 PT) on Saturday, December 6 and is being proven dwell within the UK on Sky Sports activities Major Occasion, Sky Sports activities Premier League and Sky Sports activities Extremely.
Through Now TV, Sky Sports activities prices £14.99 for a day membership, £28 a month for a 12-month membership or £34.99 a month with no contract.
Sky Sports activities memberships embrace entry to all 12 dwell Sky Sports activities channels and Sky Sports activities+, which gives dwell streams and a devoted channel.
Streaming is on the market on an unlimited number of units by way of the Sky GO app.
Premier League fixtures this weekend
All matches begin at 15:00 GMT / 12:00 ET / 09:00 PT until acknowledged in any other case.
Saturday, December 6
Aston Villa vs Arsenal (12:30)
Bournemouth vs Chelsea
Everton vs Nottingham Forest
Manchester Metropolis vs Sunderland
Newcastle vs Burnley
Tottenham vs Brentford
Leeds vs Liverpool (17:30)
Sunday, December 7
Brighton & Hove Albion vs West Ham (14:00)
Fulham vs Crystal Palace (16:30)
Monday, December 8
Wolves vs Manchester United (20:00)
