Why isn’t Mohamed Salah playing for Liverpool against West Ham from the start? Is he injured?

Is Mohamed Salah’s time at Liverpool coming to an end? To the surprise of some fans (and the disappointment of many FPL managers), the Egyptian star was left on the bench by Jürgen Klopp for Saturday’s Premier League game away to West Ham, which The Reds must surely win if they are to have any chance of competing with Arsenal and Manchester City for the title.

Surprise defeats dent Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes

Of course, many Premier League followers believe the Anfield club’s hopes are already over after two surprise defeats in three matches against Crystal Palace and Everton, which leave them three points behind The Gunners and two adrift of City, who have a game in hand.

On paper, Liverpool are still in with a chance of glory with four matches to play, although Salah hasn’t been called upon, at least from the start, in the first of them. The former Roma attacker also began as a substitute against Fulham six days ago, coming on for the final stages of the 3-1 win.

Does Mohamed Salah have an injury?

Although there doesn’t appear to be any suggestion of the 31-year-old suffering an injury, he hasn’t been his usual self since suffering a hamstring issue at the Africa Cup of Nations in January, which suggests he may not have been in peak condition.

Klopp’s decision for Saturday’s match at the London Stadium appears to be a reaction to Salah’s ineffective performance in the 2-0 defeat to Everton in midweek. Fellow attacker Darwin Núñez and midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai have also dropped to the bench.

Since joining Liverpool in 2017, Salah has scored 210 goals in 345 matches in all competitions, including 154 in 246 games in the Premier League. He has, however, been heavily linked with a move away to the Saudi Pro League at the end of the season, when he will have one year left on his contract.