Arne Slot might unleash Liverpool switch to assist Mohamed Salah and Premier League title push

Federico Chiesa has endured a frustrating start to his Liverpool career but boss Arne Slot could use the Reds’ cup double-header to help give Mohamed Salah a rest and boost their attacking output

Liverpool are leading the race for the Premier League title, Mohamed Salah is firing on all cylinders and tech billionaire Elon Musk reportedly wants to buy the club. So it’s fair to say things are going well for Arne Slot.

‘The Egyptian King’ has scored in seven of his last eight games with his contract up for renewal, netting nine goals in that spell, most recently from the spot in the 2-2 Anfield draw with arch-rivals Manchester United.

He leads Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and Newcastle ace Alexander Isak at the summit of the top-flight scoring charts with 18 goals in 19 matches and is arguably the best player in Europe this season.

So, understandably, more pitch-time for Federico Chiesa has been difficult to come by – but many Reds fans wonder whether that would have been the case if he’d signed for Liverpool last January instead of late August.

Spotted as excess baggage at Juventus, the Merseyside outfit swooped in for a steal, scooping up the Italian ace for a mere £10m. But fast forward five months and his Anfield chapter has barely begun.

With a paltry 123 minutes over four games, and only one showing since bouncing back from a major injury last month, people wonder just how many more minutes could Chiesa have clocked if fit.

He’s got Salah to contend with, of course. And boss Slot noted the situation, with Chiesa’s availability front and centre, although the combination of him being back fit and Liverpool’s next two games might allow for a boost.

Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo’s combined impact is mirroring Salah’s commanding performances and Slot said: “I can completely understand how much focus there is on Mo’s performance because that is remarkable, if a player has so many goals and so many assists.

“But if you combine the goals of Lucho and Cody when they play as a left-winger, they come quite close to the numbers Mo has,” reports the Liverpool Echo.

He added: “Mo’s advantage is that because Federico is not always available, he is playing from the first until the last minute, but I think our left-winger position comes quite close to the numbers Mo has.”

Salah’s been on fire for Liverpool, featuring in 27 of their 28 matches under Slot, starting 25 and banging in 21 goals with 17 assists. Those world-class stats are hard to live with, leaving Chiesa with the tough gig of being Salah’s understudy.

If he’d rocked up at Anfield last January, it might’ve been a different story. With Salah jetting off to the Africa Cup of Nations and then copping a hamstring injury that benched him for 12 games, Chiesa could’ve made his mark.

But he’s been playing catch-up and hasn’t had the chance to strut his stuff in a Liverpool kit. The Reds had their eye on Chiesa long before he signed, but now you’ve got to wonder if it’s a case of right player, wrong time. Even though he’s fit again, finding game-time for the 27-year-old is no walk in the park.

“I agree with you that it is so difficult to bring players back from an injury of one month, two months into the team,” Slot admitted recently. “Because there is hardly any training time and there is hardly any time to play friendlies.

“So the moment you play them, that is coming from seeing them in 15-20 minutes on a training ground and of course from the experience you have with these players.

“So for the ones that have played a lot under me, it is easier to come back after an injury than the ones that didn’t because the ones that played under me, I know what I can expect from them and I know what they bring to the team.”

If Chiesa had joined last January, Liverpool would already be familiar with his contributions. Instead, fans are still waiting to see if his Reds career will ever truly take off.

Despite rumours of a mid-season return to Serie A, the player’s agent has quashed such speculation, insisting he will stay with Liverpool for the remainder of the campaign. And the fixture list could now provide Chiesa with an opportunity as Slot’s men face two domestic cup matches against Tottenham and Accrington Stanley.

Although Slot confirmed that Chiesa would play in his side’s League Cup quarter-final against Southampton last month, he gave no such guarantees to any of his players ahead of facing Spurs. While he briefly suggested a line-up composed of a mix of regulars and fringe players, it remains uncertain whether Chiesa will be involved and to what extent.

Despite making a comeback last month, he was not included in the squad for Liverpool’s last trip to Tottenham. His absence was attributed to a mild illness, but Liverpool management were conscious of maintaining a balanced bench while carefully managing the Italian player.

He was also left out against West Ham, and Slot explained that they believed it would be more beneficial for Chiesa to participate in training sessions on Merseyside rather than travel to London.

It remains to be seen whether the forward will miss his third consecutive away match, or if a second visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season could provide an opportunity for Chiesa to get some much-needed playing time.

If not, then a third-round FA Cup match with League Two side Accrington Stanley may have to suffice. So with the League Cup and FA Cup providing opportunities for rotation if Slot chooses to do so, the next few days could shape Chiesa’s season and determine whether he can play a more significant role in the second half of the campaign.

If he is not needed now, then when will he be if Salah continues to perform at such an unbeatable level? While Slot may not yet know what to expect from Chiesa, Liverpool’s next two matches will at least give him the chance to find out.