Mohamed Salah change quietly made as Liverpool find something not even Man City or Arsenal have

You'd have to ask Arne Slot for exactly when the moment came, but it's almost certain Liverpool's head coach has, at some point, stopped to quietly reflect on just how good the attacking talent he has inherited is. Maybe it came at Anfield back on a sunny August afternoon when Sevilla were put to the sword in a searing first-half performance of the final friendly of the summer?

Or perhaps it was a few weeks later at Old Trafford, when a blistering display saw the Reds come away from their least favourite venue with a 3-0 win in their grasp? Was at home last week when three goals in 11 minutes was enough to see off Bournemouth? Maybe it came in the San Siro earlier this month, when the famous AC Milan were cut to ribbons in the Champions League?

If the answer is none of the above then surely Slot will have paused for a moment to revel in an embarrassment of riches up top after West Ham were dismantled 5-1 to set up a fourth-round Carabao Cup tie at Brighton on Wednesday night. The Reds have now scored 18 goals under their new boss and 11 in eight days.

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Five of Slot's six frontmen featured significantly as Federico Chiesa was given a full debut in an exciting and much-changed lineup that also saw starts for Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota. Mohamed Salah's half-hour cameo was enough for the Egyptian to register his fourth of the season, while five-goal Luis Diaz was not risked.

"A billionaire's inheritance," was the description from one national media report on Wednesday night and it's hard to disagree with that assessment.

When it comes to the two teams who are expected to rival the Reds for the Premier League title this term, there will be much praise lavished on the defensive cohesion of Arsenal and the midfield might of Manchester City - even without one of the world's best in Rodri for the foreseeable future - but no other club in top flight can boast the sort of options up top as Liverpool. It's a rare gift Slot has within his clutch on Merseyside and how he utilises it could make all the difference this season.

While the lion's share of goals at City go to the free-scoring Erling Haaland - perhaps even an unhealthy percentage - and Arsenal continue to have question marks around their apparent lack of a true No.9, Slot's biggest problem in the frontline department now is just how he keeps them all happy with sufficient game-time given the form they are all displaying at present.

Few qualms have ever been aired about Jota's proficiency in front of goal and the Portugal international showcased his finishing ability once more against the Hammers with two strikes that were almost textbook from the No.20. A close-range header inside the six-yard box is the exact sort of goal you'd expect from a poacher supreme before he rounded off a superb move involving Curtis Jones with another expert finish shortly after the restart.

The only real issue for Jota has been his lack of availability in recent years and while Slot admitted he needs some fortune to finally go his way after a torrid two years with fitness problems, the head coach and his team have hatched a plan to ensure a vital source of goals remains in play for as long as possible.

"How do we keep Diogo fit? Rotate!" Slot said on Wednesday night. "I think we are trying to manage his minutes in the best possible way, but we also try to prepare him in the week and the months of pre-season to prepare them for so many games in the Premier League.

"But sometimes there are small margins and you can be unlucky as well. If you saw what happened with (Manchester City's) Rodri (ACL injury against Arsenal), that is so, so unlucky for him. So it is about preparing in the best possible way but in the end you need a bit of luck as well.

"But the players can be as professional as possible, live in the best way for their career and that is what they have done so far. And we as a staff prepare them to get them through without injuries."

Nunez didn't have had the sort of opportunities he might have expected in a 5-1 win but the Uruguay international took another step forward of his own on Wednesday after he opened his account in stunning style against Bournemouth on Saturday.

Gakpo, meanwhile, was once more electric out on the wide left as he tore at West Ham all night with his powerful dribbling style. The Netherlands star's ability to shoot from range is also a useful weapon for the Reds, which was something Slot acknowledged himself, post-match.

"Apart from scoring two goals, I see him in training and the way he hits the ball around the 18-yard box with incredible speed," Slot said. "So I am not surprised to see him scoring like this and he scored a similar one last year against West Ham, so no surprise to see him score with the way he did."

Gakpo's performance, which came eight days after an outstanding display in Milan, leaves Slot with a real issue going forward. The left side of the attack now has two in-form players jockeying for position in Gakpo and Diaz, who is currently the top scorer with five. It's probably the most welcome problem to have for a manager and it will be interesting now to see who gets the nod for Saturday's visit to Wolves.

Salah, meanwhile, continues to look like a player truly feeling the benefits of a full and uninterrupted pre-season with Slot's staff. His 30-minute run-out was more than enough for him to play the sort of threaded passes for which he is now becoming known for almost as much as his eye for goal. Almost.

The man who has topped the scoring charts at the club every term since 2017-18 has long since become the creator-in-chief at Anfield and that development has been a hugely impressive one in the Egyptian's game over the last couple of years. With so many other forwards in the department eager to add to their respective tallies, that augurs well.

And a word for Chiesa, whose full debut resulted in an assist for Jota. The Italy international's scuffed volley from Gakpo's cross was enough for his team-mate to attack and level the scoring up and while the former Juventus man still looked someway short of his best after barely playing since June, it was a major step forward for the £12.5m signing.

"I think it is normal that he's not already at the top of his ability," Slot said in what was an honest appraisal. "He has to get used to the club; his team-mates; adjust to the playing style. But it was very good to see how fit he already is, so we can use him if we need him."

With fifteen goals between his forward players already after just seven games, Slot must be rubbing his hands at what he has to choose from up front at Liverpool. Although then again, he might have already done that weeks ago.