Liverpool finally witnessed the desired resurgence from Mohamed Salah in their triumph over Tottenham, yet it’s disheartening that his exceptional performance arrived a few weeks too late. I don’t insinuate that Salah’s temporary dip in form stemmed from any attitude problem; rather, it seemed to be a physical hindrance that held him back in recent times.

Nevertheless, there are instances when a heated exchange serves as a rallying point for players, and I’m not surprised that Salah’s remarkable display against Spurs followed his touchline altercation with Jurgen Klopp last week. Throughout my own career, I’ve witnessed similar scenarios countless times, and regardless of who instigates the criticism, the ability to respond in the right manner has always held great personal significance for me.

Allow me to recount a striking example from my early days at Liverpool, when I had just turned 21. In a momentous encounter against Manchester United at Old Trafford in 1998, I found myself thrust into action due to an injury to Karl-Heinz Riedle. Playing in a quasi-number 10 role behind Michael Owen, I was riddled with nerves and endured a couple of erroneous touches. It was our captain, Paul Ince, who relentlessly berated me. In that situation, my natural response was to think, “I’ll show you.” As fate would have it, I ended up being crowned the man of the match in a hard-fought 1-1 draw, even spending a significant portion of the game leading the line on my own after Owen was sent off.

Now, Salah is undoubtedly a superstar, not a budding player striving to make his mark in the team. I certainly don’t place myself in the same category as him either. However, my point is that all players face a critical juncture when confronted with criticism. It appeared that Klopp reproached Salah for something just before he was about to come on against West Ham last week. In response, Salah engaged in a heated exchange, which led to the media and even some supporters pointing fingers at the player. In such situations, the most effective and perhaps the only way to respond is to think, “In the next game, I’ll prove you wrong.” And Salah unquestionably did just that.

Right from the outset against Tottenham, he exuded sharpness and intent. While not every attempt yielded success, he struck the woodwork on a couple of occasions and found the back of the net. Even when he made it 1-0, it’s possible that he didn’t head the ball exactly where he intended, but he remained a constant menace for the Tottenham defense.

As I mentioned earlier, it’s regrettable that this resurgence couldn’t salvage Liverpool’s title aspirations, as it’s highly unlikely they will secure the league championship from this point onward. Nonetheless, for Liverpool supporters looking ahead to the next season and contemplating life without Klopp, the positive aspect lies in Salah’s commitment and his fervent endeavor to silence his critics.

If Salah had appeared despondent, discontented, or sought an exit from the club, we wouldn’t have witnessed such a resolute response. Salah will turn 32 in June and has just one year remaining on his contract, which has fueled numerous speculations about his future, especially after the events of last week.

Ideally, he would choose to stay. His reliability in front of goal is evident, and while his departure would undoubtedly command a substantial transfer fee, finding a suitable replacement who can replicate his goal-scoring prowess would be an arduous task. Salah possesses that rare and extraordinary quality of finding the back of the net even when he’s not at his best, and that’s why I genuinely hope he remains at Liverpool. However, the reality is that he might opt for a fresh challenge, which could be the best decision for him and his family.

Despite Salah’s brilliance, I firmly believe that the new manager’s foremost priority should be securing Virgil van Dijk’s long-term commitment. Van Dijk, along with Trent Alexander-Arnold, is also nearing the end of his contract in the summer of 2025. While I foresee no obstacles in extending Alexander-Arnold’s contract, given his local roots and deep affection for Liverpool, predicting Van Dijk’s next move is considerably more intricate.

Although Liverpool will always be greater than any individual, Van Dijk’s presence and immense capabilities make him the one player the club would miss more than any other.