3/10 star was even worse than Jota

Liverpool were put to the sword against Newcastle Unitedwho fully deserved to lift the Carabao Cup title on Sunday evening and end an interminable domestic trophy drought.

Though the Reds gave everything against Paris Saint-Germain in the midweek Champions League exit, Arne Slot will lead something of an inquest into his squad’s shambolic account of themselves at Wembley, so disjointed, error-streaked and uninspiring.

Yet, once again in a crunch fixture, Liverpool’s forwards failed to impress, consigning Richard Hughes and the rest of the transfer committee to a period of reflection after only bringing Federico Chiesa – who scored a late consolation in the final – into this post-Jurgen Klopp world.

With the likes of Diogo Jota so abject in the final third right now, it does raise the question as to whether more could have been done.

Diogo Jota’s performance vs Newcastle

It’s becoming a grumpy theme, but Jota looks a hollow shadow of himself at the moment, with his latest non-showing making it ten games without a goal for the Iberian striker, usually so dependable in front of goal.

He skewed a great chance to cancel out Dan Burn’s leaping opener before the break but chances have been few and far between over recent months, with profligacy seeping in to leave Jota clinging to the vestiges of his former quality.

Earlier this month, Sky Germany reported the 28-year-old is among the names deemed expendable by FSG heading into the summer. Instinctive finishing and sharp movements have been negligible, and he must truly be sweating for his starting presence in Slot’s long-term plans.

It’s hard to put the blame on any one man though. Ultimately, Liverpool’s many parts combined for something lacklustre, swept aside by strong-willed Newcastle.

However, there is another member of the frontline who will be dismayed with the outcome and indeed his contribution through recent matches.

Liverpool’s biggest loser at Wembley

Liverpool’s talisman is set to finish the 2024/25 campaign with the most remarkable individual haul and potentially a top-flight title besides, but recent matches will have left him feeling numb as wider recognition has been tempered by team failings.

Mohamed is wrong couldn’t hold back the tears as Liverpool bowed out of the Champions League, and while he was less outwardly emotional at Wembley, this past week will have cut deep for a world-class player hitherto regarded as the frontrunner for this year’s Ballon d’Or gold title.

But he can have few complaints. If the PSG and Newcastle ties were auditions for the fabled accolade (and they may be at that), Salah would have failed miserably, the imperious structure of his season reduced to rubble with some pretty dismal displays.

Raphinha, Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele have been snapping at Salah’s heels in the race for the Ballon d’Or. Now, candidly, you’d have to admit he’s taken quite the knock.

At Wembley, Salah was a shell of himself, failing to take a single shot or create one key pass for his teammates. He felt the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold to be sure.

The Liverpool Echo could do little more than brand him with a 3/10 rating, which tells the tale of perhaps his worst display in Liverpool red.

With 32 goals and 22 assists across all competitions this season, the Egypt superstar hasn’t exactly been misfiring this term, but you feel he had so much more to offer on these big stages. To steal a colloquial term: Salah ghosted when his team needed him most.

And they really did. Part of the right winger’s brilliance across the campaign has been because Slot’s frontline has been so out of sorts, Darwin NunezJota and Luis Diaz having scored one goal between them across ten matches, each flattering to deceive.

It makes Liverpool’s 12-point lead at the top of the Premier League all the more remarkable, but highlights gaping holes in this talented squad just the same.