Liverpool might have just been given a glimpse into the future. But it all hinges on the contract situation, with Mohamed Salah still yet to agree a new deal.

Of course, the desire to plan for the future is partly how FSG ended up in this mess. Had Salah and Virgil van Dijk been a few years younger, their contract extensions would surely have been straightforward from the club's side of things (Trent Alexander-Arnold would be a counterpoint, although Liverpool has by all accounts made multiple offers to the full-back).

But despite their veteran status, Salah and Van Dijk are showing every sign of being able to participate at the top level for years to come. Their involvement in the Arne Slot era need not be a historical footnote, a trivia question in years to come; they could be cornerstones of the new project.

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Certainly, they have been foundational to what Slot has achieved so far. Salah in particular is in the best form of his Anfield career, and that's saying something.

He once ran riot alongside Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino. It's been a joy to watch him form new connections, as the next great Liverpool side takes shape — he has a nice link-up with Dominik Szoboszlai down the right, and he, more than anyone, appears on the same wavelength as Darwin Nunez.

And Liverpool got another glimpse into a potential future last night. Salah opened the scoring against Lille in the Champions League, dashing onto the end of a glorious defense-cleaving pass from Curtis Jones.

Jones had made headlines in the week, suggesting prime Eden Hazard was a better footballer than Salah. But he rushed to clarify he would rather have the Egyptian in his team, and their link-up on the pitch thus felt especially fitting. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock reflected on the combination.

“Brilliant from Liverpool in the press and the way they get the ball back," Warnock purred. "Lille players are flying forward because they think they have good possession but they are caught out and Mohamed Salah makes no mistake.

"That's what I was saying about Curtis Jones. The way he plays the pass kills the Lille press and that finish is clinical as we have seen from Salah time and time again this season.”

At times, Jones has been criticized for taking too long on the ball. But he boasts the best pass completion rate of any midfielder in the Premier League, bringing a real calmness to the center of the park — and when the time comes, he does know how to flick the switch and find the incisive ball.

There are few better runners to pick out than Salah. Not as quick as he once was, his movement and his strength still allow him to leave defenders behind. The Jones/Salah partnership could be a fruitful one for years to come. But for that to be the case, Liverpool will need to agree a deal: yet another reason to do so.

Liverpool.com says: Salah and Jones probably both have some kind of question mark hanging over their Anfield futures. In the latter case, persistent small injuries continue to disrupt his rhythm, just as he looks primed for a proper breakthrough.

Nevertheless, Jones has clearly done enough to impress Slot when fit, and has seemingly moved above Harvey Elliott in the pecking order thanks to his wisdom in possession and smart work off the ball. He looks likely to be a pillar of this Liverpool side for some time, even though competition in midfield is fierce.

It would be a shame if his link-up with Salah never got the chance to fully develop. There was something almost reminiscent of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres in the way Jones sent him through on goal against Lille, with the pair clearly developing an understanding.