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It seems that the Egyptian star's limited defensive contributions has turned into a minor problem for the Merseyside club, especially when facing stronger opponents.

I can fully grasp if manager the Liverpool boss has instructed the forward to avoid defensive duties, because positioning himself advanced on the right flank during transitions has made him one of the world's most dangerous strikers.

However, the players behind him are not providing sufficient cover, creating significant challenges for whoever is playing at right-back in recent matches.

Be it Jeremie Frimpong or another player, they end up in trouble due to dealing with a numerical disadvantage on that flank.

It proved a noticeable vulnerability on Saturday, resulting in Chelsea's winning goal – and the concern is that other sides will smartly target this same area.

{'Salah Is Given License to Avoid Defence Duties'

First of all, I doubt that the manager is instructing the attacker to help defensively and assist his right-back.

Should Salah had been instructed to mark the opposition's left-back his direct opponent, then this was extremely evident he wasn't doing it, and the coach would not tolerate that.

Rather, the manager is granting Salah the freedom to concentrate exclusively on attacking play, which is acceptable – we've seen numerous examples of other teams using comparable approaches, with individuals who choose to save their energy for forward moves.

Certainly, there are still certain situations in a game when the team is under pressure and you might feel compelled to help out.

I know he can do it, because when they triumphed at a top rival previously, his defensive performance was among the best I've seen from him.

But, he likely been specifically asked to perform that role on that day, which is why I am not criticizing him if he has been told to remain advanced.

'The Real Issue Is How The Team Are Set Up Behind Salah'

The concern with Salah stems from how the side are organized in defensive support, especially against stronger opponents.

The other teammates must provide better and quicker assistance, as it seemed like the opposition were advancing the ball upfield and then switching it to their left side, because that's where the space existed.

When a Liverpool central player went out belatedly – whether it be Alexis Mac Allister – then he created space in the middle ahead of the defence because Liverpool were losing a player from the midfield.

This situation becomes less critical when playing teams that you dominate possession against – evidenced by their previous league wins using such tactics – but they must tighten up as the top sides will take advantage.

'Liverpool Have Lost Control of Games'

It is not as if Salah has changed his role recently, but because he is failing to find the net at the other end, perhaps the defensive side of his game is amplified.

I am not overly worried about his current performance, because he will improve – history shows – in terms of his goal scoring.

He found great situations versus their opponents but maybe shot when he could have assisted, and vice versa, but those chances will continue and the goals will follow.

The biggest worry with the team at the moment is their lack of control in games compared to last season.

It has been a disappointing period for them, of course, not only to lose three games in a row in the Premier League and European competition but as the display standards have not been expectations.

We must consider extenuating circumstances, certainly, with all the squad adjustments in the summer and the number of individuals who did not have pre-season, but previously Slot's Liverpool seemed so effective at managing games and that is not the case.

It felt like their organization was solid, and his more possession-based approach brought greater control.

It was an aspect that people immediately saw he had introduced to the team, compared to what it was like under previous management.

Now, though, observing them and it appears somewhat chaotic. The final 30 minutes of the Chelsea match was hectic it resembled a cup tie – they had chances to win it, but conceded several opportunities too, which is why they ultimately defeated.

{How Can Slot Fix Liverpool Problems?

We can identify a few things that are off about the club, and repeatedly notice them giving the ball away, but this is not an unresolvable scenario.

Even though Liverpool have some new additions – and varied profiles too – they should not need to alter their approach. They just need to get back to being slightly more patient and composed.

The positive aspect is they are only one point adrift of leaders Arsenal and have time to fix the issues that are going wrong.

The physical element they are lacking will improve because the players who missed a proper pre-season, such as midfielders and defenders, will attain optimal condition soon.

Developing effective relationships on the field requires time too, be it between the right-back and the forward or other important pairings.

So, there is no need to panic. It seems like at the moment in the top flight, and not just with this team but with all teams, you are a single match away from 'catastrophe' and criticism.

The truth is the recent results to Liverpool this week will probably occur at some stage to Arsenal and rivals as well.

I had not previously thought City would be in the title race, but if a key attacker remains motivated and fit they will be in contention.

The London club, defensively, look superb again and, in general, after seven games they seem very assured in what they are doing in all areas – it looks like a continuation of their previous form, with an added layer of talent and squad strength.

For them it seems more of a transition at present. But although there is ongoing work to do for them to establish the optimal balance and combinations, I think all is anticipating them to progress as the season unfolds.