No Salah, no problem - how Liverpool have found goals and assists from elsewhere in their squad

Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Luton in the Premier League on Wednesday night had all the hallmarks of a team thrusting themselves to the front of a title race. Not only did Jürgen Klopp’s side come from a goal down to win the match convincingly, but they did so with three of their most established forwards - Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota and Darwin Núñez. And, to the delight of fans of the Anfield club, the win over Luton wasn’t the first time that Liverpool have looked more than capable of dealing with unfortunate injuries to star players. 

Indeed, following an unexpected opening goal from Luton’s Chiedozie Ogbene just 12 minutes into the game, Liverpool bounced back in the second half with two goals from Virgil Van Dijk and Cody Gakpo via corners from Alexis Mac Allister. Then, as if to ensure all three points, Luis Díaz and Harvey Elliot took advantage of some heavy legs in the Luton defence towards the end of the match to put the result beyond doubt. The result now means that Liverpool have lost just one of their first 11 games of 2024 and in many ways have managed to do so by spreading the goals and assists throughout the team, rather than relying on their Egyptian talisman. 

Liverpool players with most goals and assists in 2024

Since the turn of the year Salah has missed all but two of Liverpool’s Premier League games through injury, as well as each of their four matches in the FA Cup and English League Cup. As a result, Klopp’s team have had to quickly adapt to life without the player that scored or assisted 41% of their goals in the league last season. And to the club’s credit, they’ve done exactly that with a number of new signings and young players stepping up when called upon. As we can see in the graphic below. 

As we can see, at the top of the list is none other than towering striker Darwin Núñez, who has unquestionably stepped up for Klopp’s team this season. Since the start of 2024, the 24-year-old talent has picked up nine goals and assists, taking his tally for the season to 24 goal contributions in 37 games across all competitions. Which has already seen the forward surpass last season’s tally of 19 goals and assists in 42 games. However, Núñez isn’t the only forward to step up. As we can see from the graphic, Jota is also sitting pretty with nine goals and assists in 2024, while Díaz is just behind on eight goal contributions to his name. Gakpo then rounds up a strong start to the year for Salah’s fellow attacking team mates with six goals and assists. 

However, what should also bring a smile to the face of Liverpool fans is the number of goals and assists coming from elsewhere in the team. Along with central midfielders Mac Allister and Curtis Jones stepping up with three each, 20-year-old full-back Conor Bradley is following in the steeped tradition of wing-backs chipping in with goals and assists aplenty for Liverpool with no less than one goal and five assists in eight games across all competitions. In this regard, Bradley is undoubtedly following in the footsteps of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson with his fearless runs into the opposing half whenever offered the opportunity. 

Although there’s little doubt that Liverpool will need Salah’s goals and assists if they are to win the league title in Klopp’s final season at the club, fans of the Anfield side can take a huge amount of confidence from the fact that an extended injury to the player hasn’t derailed their season as it may have done in previous years. And that is undoubtedly down to other players in Liverpool’s squad stepping up and sticking the ball in the back of the net.