Ange Postecoglou has suggested that even Liverpool’s in-form forward Mohamed Salah would face challenges in the current Tottenham side.
Spurs are preparing to take on Liverpool in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday (20:00 GMT) amid a challenging run of form.
Tottenham have failed to win in their last four matches, suffering three defeats and a draw, including a heavy 6-3 Premier League loss to Liverpool on December 22.
Egyptian international Salah, who scored twice in that match and has netted 21 goals in 27 appearances across all competitions this season, has been enjoying a standout campaign.
Despite Salah’s remarkable form, the under-pressure Postecoglou believes even a player of his caliber would struggle to make a significant impact given Tottenham’s current difficulties.
“Mo is a world-class player, but if you put him in our team now I’m not sure he’ll have that same level of performance because of the situation we’re in as a group,” said the Spurs boss.
“His attacking play, who do you need? You need a team that’s kind of in good form, creating opportunities, playing on the front foot, having a really solid foundation of a defence that is cohesive. None of these things exist at the moment.”
Tottenham approach their match against Arne Slot’s side buoyed by the news that captain Son Heung-min will remain at the club until at least the summer of 2026, following the activation of a contract extension clause.
Son has netted 169 goals in 431 appearances for Spurs, including seven in all competitions this season.
However, manager Ange Postecoglou believes the South Korean’s current form falls short of showcasing his full potential, particularly when compared to Liverpool’s 32-year-old forward Mohamed Salah.
“You’ve always got to give context. He [Salah] is playing in a fantastic team that are flying at the moment,” he explained.
“I’d hazard to say that if you put Son Heung-min in Liverpool’s team, I reckon his goalscoring return would be decent. It’s hard for our players at the moment, they’re trying awfully hard to be the best they can be.
“But when we’re at our best, I still think you’ll see Sonny’s return, in terms of his ability to score goals and be really effective for us. I don’t think that’s diminished at all.”