Liverpool legend Graeme Souness has explained why he thinks Mohamed Salah is the “single biggest reason” why the club has struggled this season.

Salahis one of the greatest forwards in Premier League history and was the best player in the division to help Liverpool win their 20th title last season.

However, the veteran Liverpoolstar’s form has dramatically declined this season as it seems that father time has caught up with him.

It now looks likely that Salah will leave Liverpool in the summer and be replaced by a long-term replacement, with a move to the Saudi Pro League possible.

And Souness thinks Salah has “fallen off a cliff” this season and is the “biggest reason” why Liverpool have been so poor this season.

“What happens, in my opinion and in my experience, is your career happens one of two ways. When you get to that sort of 33-34 age area, it’s either falling off a cliff, or it’s a slow decline. I think Salah is the former,” Souness told The Daily Mail.

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“I went to see the very first game of the season, the Community Shield against Crystal Palace, and I was sitting next to my young son, I said, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with him?’ And then I thought, maybe he needs half a dozen games to get up to speed.

“But he’s never improved. His numbers tell you that. His numbers are way down, and he is the single biggest reason why Liverpool are having an indifferent season. Because within that group of players, there’ll be some that are feeling the pain, some are feeling the negativity that’s around the place, and they’re not responding very well to it.

“And when you’re in that position, you need big players to stand up and be counted. And I think that’s been a bit of a shock to Liverpool supporters, the manager and coaching staff, that those guys have not done that.”

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In the same interview, Souness is said to have ‘delivered’ an unequivocal yes’ when asked whether Salah should be let go in the summer.

Souness also said that Salah’s “best season is behind him”.

“His best is behind him now, there’s no doubt about that,” Souness added.

“The first person to know that is yourself, and it happens to everyone. I don’t see the same sparkle. I think if you’re looking for the single biggest reason (for Liverpool’s shaky form), it’s because he’s not been getting the numbers.

“He’s been for six, seven years the Liverpool go-to man. He has completely changed games when it wasn’t going their way, and he has scored a ridiculous number of goals every season. He’s a great – a Liverpool great – but his best season is behind him.”

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