The valuable lesson Pep Guardiola learned from Mohamed Salah and ex-Liverpool player

Liverpool are once again set to face off with old foe Pep Guardiola when they welcome Manchester City to Anfield.

The Spaniard and Jurgen Klopp had an intense rivalry for many years, which saw Liverpool and Man City dominate the Premier League title race.

In the end, it was the Sky Blues who came out on top in terms of trophies, with Klopp’s only league success coming in 2020.

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However, while Pep may have dominated the German on the trophy front, he still learned a lot from the manager’s team.

Specifically, the lethal duo of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, who were crucial to the Reds’ success under Klopp.

What Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah helped teach Pep Guardiola

Before this season, Salah had torn up the Premier League for many years.

However, for whatever reason, the Egyptian’s goal and assist record have greatly declined in 2025/26.

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He has six goals and six assists in 24 matches across all competitions this term, having ended the previous campaign with a staggering 57 goal contributions.

Salah’s decline has concerned fans, but Guardiola is still likely to appreciate what a threat the 33-year-old can be.

Speaking back in May 2023, via Goal, after City won the league, Pep revealed that players like Salah and Mane taught him that you must use a proper defender at full-back when playing against elite wingers.

Praising Nathan Ake, who was featuring at left-back for the Manchester outfit, he said: “He [Ake] has been fundamental.

“I learned this season when you play against [Bukayo] Saka, Vinicius [Junior], [Gabriel] Martinelli and [Mohamed] Salah or [Sadio] Mane in the past, you need a proper defender to win duels one v one.

“Or, in the Champions League, at that level, they need one action to beat you and Nathan gave us that boost that I didn’t have in the past. The biggest boost was having a proper defender and in the past we didn’t have it and Nathan, [Manuel] Akanji and [Kyle] Walker did it.”

Rate Mohamed Salah’s form since his return from AFCON

Should Liverpool rethink selling him this summer?

Mohamed Salah may be done at Liverpool

Ahead of this weekend’s game, the Egyptian’s form has been a concern since he returned from the AFCON.

He appears to have lost a yard of pace and is no longer able to dominate full-backs as he did in the past.

With his contract up in 2027 and Saudi interest remaining, it may be time for Liverpool to sell Salah.

But for now at least, Slot will need the winger to step up against the likes of Man City if the Reds are to secure Champions League football.

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