“Liverpool is no longer the ‘Mohamed Salah team.’ We have moved beyond him.” Jamie Carragher has made his feelings clear on the “Big Change” at Anfield, claiming that Arne Slot’s new system has finally “unlocked” the rest of the squad! 📈⚖️🚨

The transformation of Liverpool under Arne Slot has reached a definitive turning point. After months of tactical evolution, squad restructuring, and the gradual emergence of a new collective identity, Jamie Carragher has delivered a verdict that crystallizes what Anfield insiders have suspected for months: the era of reliance on individual brilliance is over.

**”Liverpool is no longer the ‘Mohamed Salah team.’ We have moved beyond him.”**

That declaration, reportedly made in Carragher’s latest analysis, represents a seismic shift in how the club’s identity is framed. For nearly a decade, Liverpool’s attacking output has been defined by one man’s extraordinary consistency. Now, under Slot’s system, the burden has been distributed—and the results are beginning to justify the evolution .

## The Context: A Season of Transition

To understand Carragher’s proclamation, one must understand the context of Liverpool’s 2025-26 campaign. The season began with uncertainty surrounding Salah’s future following a public dispute with the club, his subsequent departure to the Africa Cup of Nations, and the emergence of a tactical system designed to function without depending on any single player .

Salah’s form before AFCON was notably subdued. His output had dropped, his relationship with Slot became a subject of intense media speculation, and his public comments about being “thrown under the bus” created an atmosphere of uncertainty . The Africa Cup of Nations, while removing him from the squad temporarily, also provided space for the team to recalibrate.

And recalibrate they did. During Salah’s absence, Liverpool went on an eight-game unbeaten run, climbing back into the top four and demonstrating a newfound resilience . The team that emerged was not reliant on a single talisman but functioned as a cohesive unit where goals and creativity were distributed across multiple sources.

## Carragher’s Evolving Stance: From Critic to Prophet

Carragher’s relationship with Salah has been complicated this season. In December, following Salah’s explosive post-match interview, Carragher branded the Egyptian’s behaviour a “disgrace,” accusing him of orchestrating a “choreographed” campaign to pressure the club .

Yet even in his criticism, Carragher acknowledged Salah’s legendary status. In his Telegraph column, he wrote: “The current Liverpool era will be forever synonymous with Salah. He is one of the all-time greats of Liverpool and the Premier League” .

Now, Carragher has moved from predicting Salah’s departure to declaring Liverpool’s independence from him. The phrase **”we have moved beyond him”** is not a dismissal of Salah’s contributions—it’s an acknowledgment that the club’s evolution has reached a point where no single player, regardless of stature, defines the team’s ceiling.

## What “Moving Beyond Salah” Actually Means

The tactical reality beneath Carragher’s statement is complex. Liverpool under Slot have evolved from a system built around exploiting isolated wide attackers to something more fluid and collective .

### 1. Distributed Goal Threat

The numbers tell the story. While Salah’s output has declined, others have stepped forward. Hugo Ekitike, the summer signing from PSG, has emerged as a reliable scorer. Florian Wirtz, after a difficult adjustment period, has begun unlocking defences with his creativity. Alexander Isak, despite a broken leg that has kept him sidelined, remains the long-term focal point of the attack .

The Athletic’s James Pearce noted in January that “the goals dried up for Mohamed Salah before the Africa Cup of Nations,” but also pointed to the emergence of other threats . Liverpool are no longer a team that funnels everything through one player.

### 2. Tactical Flexibility

Slot’s preference for a 4-2-3-1 formation has created multiple attacking vectors. The double pivot provides defensive stability while enabling progressive passing from deeper areas . The attacking midfield role, occupied by Wirtz or Dominik Szoboszlai, offers creativity through the centre rather than relying on wide isolation.

This system reduces dependence on any single attacker. When opponents shut down one threat, others emerge.

### 3. Squad Development

The rise of players like Milos Kerkez at left back exemplifies Slot’s commitment to development. Signed for £40m from Bournemouth, Kerkez needed time to settle but is now flourishing, with his attacking partnership with Wirtz becoming a significant weapon .

Similarly, Rio Ngumoha’s emergence as a teenage prospect has excited fans, with his late cameos suggesting a bright future . The squad is being built for sustainability, not short-term reliance.

## The “Long Goodbye”: Salah’s Exit Looms

Carragher has consistently predicted that Salah will leave at the end of the season, framing the remainder of the campaign as a **”long goodbye”** . The logic is compelling:

– **Contract situation**: Salah’s deal expires in 2027, meaning this summer represents the final opportunity for a significant transfer fee
– **Saudi interest**: The Saudi Pro League’s pursuit has never truly cooled
– **Tactical evolution**: As Yahoo Sports noted, under a prospective Xabi Alonso system, “the traditional right-wing dominance that Salah has held for years becomes less foundational”

The Athletic’s analysis of Liverpool’s struggles against low blocks highlighted the broader issue: the team has scored 17 fewer league goals than at the same stage last season, and no team in the top six has scored fewer . Evolution is necessary, and evolution requires hard decisions.

## The Diomonde Succession: A Prince Ready to Ascend

The most compelling evidence that Liverpool have moved beyond reliance on Salah lies in their planning for the future. Yan Diomonde, the 19-year-old Ivorian winger tearing up the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig, has been identified as the long-term successor .

Yahoo Sports captured the philosophy perfectly: “Replacing royalty requires courage. Yan Diomonde is not Mohamed Salah. He is not meant to be either. What he offers is something different — something electric and explosive. Where Salah devastates with precision and efficiency, Diomonde destabilises with chaos and acceleration” .

The profile fits Liverpool’s evolution. Diomonde brings pace, directness, and the ability to stretch games vertically. In a system that increasingly emphasises collective movement over individual brilliance, his attributes could prove transformative.

Financially, the equation balances itself. A significant fee for Salah—potentially exceeding £75m—could effectively underwrite Diomonde’s arrival . Succession funded internally, risk offset by logic.

## The Slot Philosophy: Trust, Patience, Evolution

Slot’s approach to squad development has been patient but purposeful. Speaking about Kerkez’s progress, he explained: “This is what you get if you keep playing those players who maybe sometimes have moments that are not as good… the only thing as a manager is to keep trusting them and believing in them” .

That philosophy extends beyond individual players to the collective identity. Slot has never sought to replicate Klopp’s Liverpool or Salah’s peak years. He has sought to build something new—a team capable of evolving with the game rather than clinging to past formulas.

## What Carragher’s Statement Really Means

When Carragher says **”Liverpool is no longer the ‘Mohamed Salah team,'”** he is not diminishing Salah’s legacy. He is acknowledging a fundamental truth about elite football: dynasties are sustained by recognising the moment before decline, not after it .

Salah leaves as a king regardless of timing. His 157 goals, his Champions League triumph, his Premier League title—these are etched permanently into Anfield folklore. But the crown must pass.

The “we have moved beyond him” framing is not about Salah’s current abilities. It’s about the team’s evolution to a point where no single player’s presence or absence defines their ceiling. The goals are now shared. The creativity is distributed. The identity is collective.

## The Verdict: Evolution, Not Erasure

Carragher’s declaration will inevitably provoke debate. Some will interpret it as disrespect to a club legend. Others will recognise it for what it is: an honest assessment of where Liverpool stand in their tactical evolution.

The team that has emerged under Slot is not the team that Salah joined in 2017. The Premier League has changed. Tactical demands have evolved. Liverpool’s squad has been rebuilt around new principles and new players.

**”Liverpool is no longer the ‘Mohamed Salah team.'”**

This is not erasure. It’s evolution. It’s the natural progression of a club that has always understood that standing still means falling behind. Salah’s contributions will never be forgotten, but the team’s future no longer depends on them.

The crown may depart this summer. But if Liverpool continue on their current trajectory, the next era—whether led by Diomonde, Wirtz, Isak, or others—will be built to last.

Anfield has moved beyond reliance on one man. And in that movement lies the promise of sustainable success.