A title race is being stripped of its most potent players. Erling Haaland has been the most recognisable spectator at Manchester City’s recent matches. The injured Norwegian still leads the race for the Golden Boot. But the man tied in second is also joint-top of the assists table. Coupled with his outstanding form, it gives Mohamed Salah a case to be named the footballer of the first half of the season.
Liverpool top the table after 19 games. Salah will depart after their 20th, going to the Africa Cup of Nations following Monday’s match against Newcastle. He could be away for more than a month, a spell that includes trips to Arsenal in both the FA Cup and the Premier League, along with twin legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final. The danger is that Liverpool fail on three fronts without their most feared forward.
