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It seems that Mohamed Salah's limited defensive contributions has turned into a slight issue for the Merseyside club, especially when facing stronger teams.

It's understandable if manager Arne Slot has instructed the forward not to track back, since staying high on the right flank when regaining possession has made him one of the global most dangerous strikers.

However, the players behind him are not providing adequate cover, creating numerous issues for anyone is playing at right-back this season.

Be it Jeremie Frimpong or Dominik Szoboszlai, they end up in difficulty due to dealing with a numerical disadvantage on their side.

It proved a noticeable vulnerability in the recent match, leading to the opponent's winning goal – and the concern is that other sides will smartly exploit this weak spot.

{'Salah Has License to Skip Defensive Work

First of all, I doubt that the manager is instructing the attacker to track back and support his defender.

Should he was told to mark the opposition's defender his direct opponent, then it was very evident he did not comply, and the coach would not accept that.

Instead, Slot is allowing Salah the liberty to concentrate exclusively on offensive play, which is acceptable – there are numerous examples of different clubs using comparable approaches, with individuals who choose to save their stamina for attacking actions.

Certainly, there are always specific moments in a match when you are conceding chances and you might feel compelled to track back.

I know he is capable, because when Liverpool won at a top rival previously, his work rate was among the best I've seen from him.

But, he must have been specifically asked to perform that role on that day, which is why I am not criticizing him if he has been asked to stay forward.

'The Main Problem Is How The Team Are Structured In Support of Salah'

The issue with Salah is more about how the side are organized in defensive support, especially against top teams.

The other players must provide more and quicker help, because it seemed like the opposition were advancing the ball upfield and subsequently shifting it to their left side, because that's where the gap existed.

When a their central player moved wide belatedly – whether it be Alexis Mac Allister – then he left openings in central areas ahead of the back line because they were losing a man from the center.

All this becomes less of a problem when playing teams that they control the ball against – as we've seen their past success playing this way – but they must tighten up as the top sides will take advantage.

'Liverpool Have Lost Command of Matches'

It isn't as if he has altered his duties recently, but because he is not scoring in attack, maybe the defensive side of his performance is more noticeable.

I am not overly concerned about his form, as he will return to form – he always does – in terms of his finishing.

He found great situations against their opponents but maybe shot when he could have assisted, and the opposite, but those chances will continue and the goals will come.

My main concern with Liverpool currently is their reduced control in games relative to last season.

It has been a frustrating week for them, of course, not only to suffer multiple matches in a row in the Premier League and European competition but because the performance levels have not been expectations.

There are mitigating factors, of course, with all the personnel changes in the summer and the number of players who did not have pre-season, but last season the manager's Liverpool appeared so effective at controlling matches and that is no longer the situation.

It seemed like their defensive shape was sound, and his more ball-retention approach provided better command.

This was an aspect that observers instantly saw he had introduced to the team, compared to what it was like under the former coach.

Now, though, I watch them and it appears somewhat disorganized. The final 30 minutes of the Chelsea match was so frenetic it felt like a cup tie – they had chances to win it, but conceded several opportunities too, which is why they ended up losing.

{How Can The Manager Fix The Team's Issues?

We can identify a several things that are off about Liverpool, and repeatedly notice them losing possession, but I don't see an unresolvable situation.

Just because they have some new additions – and varied profiles too – they should not need to change their playing style. They just need to get back to being a bit more patient and composed.

Good news is they are only one point adrift of table-toppers Arsenal and have opportunity to fix the things that are going wrong.

Fitness aspect they are missing will come because the players who missed a proper training camp, like midfielders and full-backs, will attain peak fitness shortly.

Building proper understanding on the field always takes patience too, whether it be between the defender and Salah or additional important pairings.

Therefore, there is no reason to panic. It feels like currently in the Premier League, and not just with this team but with all teams, you are a single match away from 'catastrophe' and scrutiny.

The truth is what has happened to them this week will likely happen at some stage to other contenders and rivals this season.

I didn't previously believed City would be in the championship chase, but if their star striker remains motivated and fit they will be in contention.

Arsenal, defensively, look excellent again and, in general, after seven games they seem very comfortable in what they are doing across the pitch – it looks like a continuation of last season, with an added layer of talent and depth.

For them it feels like more of a rebuild right now. But while there is still work to do for them to establish the right equilibrium and partnerships, it is expected all is anticipating them to improve as the season unfolds.