Micah Richards believes Mohamed Salah's struggles in the Carabao Cup final were linked to one key factor. Liverpool's star forward had a rare off-day, raising questions about the team's reliance on him.

Micah Richards has identified the factors behind Mohamed Salah's recent dip in form following Liverpool's Carabao Cup final defeat. The Egyptian forward struggled to make an impact as the Reds suffered a 2-1 loss to Newcastle at Wembley on Sunday.

For Mohamed Salah, a scorer of 32 goals in what looks to be a record-breaking campaign for Liverpool, that was again the case in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle United. For a forward who is on his way to recording one of the greatest individual seasons of all time in the Premier League came the anomaly of Wembley: a match where the 32-year-old did not have a shot or create a chance in Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat.