Liverpool head into a make-or-break stretch feeling hopeful, and no wonder Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak are finally closing in on full fitness. With a big showdown against Pep Guardiola’s squad just around the corner, Arne Slot couldn’t have picked a better moment for some good news.

Salah and Isak are on the mend

Getting Salah and Isak back changes everything for Liverpool’s attack. Salah, who’s been out with a muscle injury, looks determined to return as soon as he can. Slot put it simply:

“He just does so much for his body for such a long time that he recovers so fast.”

You can see why people call Salah’s resilience legendary. The team needs it now more than ever as they try to steady a shaky title defence.

Isak’s recovery has been slower, but the Swedish striker finally joined team training after months out. Slot sounded upbeat:

“I think Alex is in a really good place because Sweden qualified for the World Cup yesterday evening, and apart from that, he’s going to train with the group again for the first time tomorrow.”

Attacking options are finally back

Liverpool’s attack has taken some hits lately. With Isak sidelined, Hugo Ekitike scored 16 goals in his first season, which isn’t too shabby. Still, Isak brings something different, and Slot knows it:

“It’s only his first session after three or four months, but it’s good to have him back. We all know we signed an incredible striker.”

Even if Isak eases in slowly, just having him available gives Liverpool a new edge. With Salah, Slot now has more firepower and flexibility up front. That could make a real difference in tight games.

Ongoing injury headaches

Of course, it’s not all perfect. Injuries keep disrupting the squad, especially in defence and between the posts. Jeremie Frimpong still needs more assessment after picking up a knock on international duty, and Alisson isn’t back yet. At least Federico Chiesa has returned to training, though Slot says they’re being careful:

“Alisson will be out for a bit longer, and Federico indeed came back from the national team, where he wasn’t able to play.”

So Liverpool still has to juggle absences and keep things steady, even as they get creative up front.

Huge weeks ahead

Liverpool sits fifth in the table after a rough title defence, so the next few weeks are massive. Getting Salah and Isak back might be the spark they need to turn things around.

Slot’s team has kept creating chances, but hasn’t always finished them off. These attacking reinforcements could flip that script quickly.

Liverpool has a shot to change their story this season, and the timing feels right. At this stage, if you’ve got fitness, form, and a bit of belief, sometimes that’s all you need. For Liverpool, maybe this is the moment where it all clicks.

Mohamed Salah will surely want to end his time at Liverpool on a high note. That said, the newcomers Liverpool invested heavily in over the summer arguably have more riding on this final stretch when it comes to securing Champions League football.

Not long after Salah announced he’d be leaving, the wave of tributes started to dwindle. This is understandable since praising such a remarkable player only goes so far. To keep the conversation going, Salah shared a candid photo on social media, gazing fondly at his trophy cabinet at home. It’s classic Salah, unapologetically proud.

Make no mistake: he won’t be sneaking out of Anfield quietly. And that means everyone involved will feel caught up in what feels like his personal farewell tour.

Meanwhile, Arne Slot is probably rehearsing what to say. The timing of Salah’s departure announcement means he’s arrived late to this particular party, very late, in fact.

Jürgen Klopp, on the other hand, has already paid his respects in his own unique fashion, fondly recalling those glory days with Salah, Mane, and Firmino. “The Mo movie is a beautiful movie,” Klopp said. “It’s a beautiful movie with a happy ending. It will be a great day in mid-May when everyone is allowed to say goodbye. It will be pretty special.”

Sure, it should be pretty special. But none of that would feel particularly special if Liverpool’s final league match against Brentford becomes a showdown for a UEFA Conference League spot instead.

That’s an even tougher spot for Slot.

In a way, Klopp’s heartfelt tribute, coupled with the Salah news, might have come at just the right time for Slot. It distracted from an in-depth analysis of Liverpool’s defeat at Brighton.

Still, as Slot prepares to field questions about Salah’s prolonged farewell ahead of the FA Cup clash with Manchester City, one can’t blame him if he’s wondering whether there might be more than one farewell tour playing out over these remaining eight weeks.

Slot’s first season, crowned by winning the Premier League, should've earned him some goodwill, possibly excusing a disappointing follow-up season. But reality tends to be less forgiving.

What happens in the coming fixtures will shape Slot’s future. Without Champions League football secured for next season, it’s difficult to imagine him keeping his job.

To claim that Champions League spot, Slot needs Liverpool’s big-money signings to step up, not just Salah.

Let’s be honest: Salah’s personal ambitions are probably not tethered to Liverpool’s European fate anymore.

The real motivation lies with those new players who joined the Premier League champions at a premium price.

Take Florian Wirtz, for example; he put on an excellent two-goal display for Germany in their thrilling 4-3 win over Switzerland. Hugo Ekitike made an impact for France too, with appearances capped by a goal against Brazil, which should’ve given him momentum heading into Liverpool’s end-of-season push.

Alexander Isak, once the international break is over, will likely return to action as well.

While Salah might find extra drive in his farewell to give his best, Slot’s true hope rests on last summer’s headline signings living up to expectations in these final weeks.

If they don’t, Liverpool might face more than one farewell tour this season.