Carragher Critiques Salah Amid Liverpool’s Struggles

omidbasir- A year ago, Jamie Carragher labeled Mohamed Salah as “selfish” for publicly voicing his frustration over Liverpool’s failure to extend his contract.

On Sky Sports, Carragher remarked, “The most important thing for Liverpool this season is not the future of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, or Trent Alexander-Arnold. The priority is Liverpool winning the Premier League. This is more significant than any individual player. If Salah continues to make comments or if his agent persists with cryptic tweets, that is selfish and indicative of self-interest rather than focus on the club.”

Salah responded to Carragher’s critiques, yet their disagreement subsided when he signed a two-year extension at Anfield. Fast forward to the present, and Carragher has renewed his criticism of the 33-year-old following Liverpool’s drop to 12th place in the Premier League and their loss in six of the last seven league matches.

This season has not been kind to Salah either, as he has struggled to replicate last season’s impressive tally of 34 goals, managing only five goals in 17 appearances thus far. Following Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, captain Virgil van Dijk emphasized the need for collective accountability, urging his teammates to reverse their current predicament. Carragher echoed this sentiment, calling for Salah to adopt a leadership role going forward.

On Monday Night Football, Carragher stated, “After the game, Virgil van Dijk rightly pointed out that Liverpool is in disarray. While he is fulfilling his role as captain, other players should also step up and voice their concerns for the club. A year ago, Salah was vocal about his contract situation. However, I only hear him speak when he receives a man of the match award or is negotiating a new contract. I’d like to see him emerge as one of the leaders and legendary figures of Liverpool, speaking up for the team rather than waiting for the captain to take the lead. Of course, the manager is under pressure given the disappointing results, especially after being champions and considering the substantial investment made during the summer.”

Despite Liverpool’s recent results and having spent over £400 million on new players, manager Arne Slot expressed a determined stance. He highlighted that a potential “solution” may be close at hand. When asked about his players’ confidence levels, he countered, “I don’t sense a lack of confidence, nor do I observe it. While we struggled after conceding the first goal, the players continued to give their all. We created opportunities, and it’s not as if we are conceding numerous chances. This trend won’t continue indefinitely, but we need to improve our response when we allow a goal. We haven’t scored in our last two matches.”

Liverpool will aim to recover from the loss against Nottingham Forest when they host PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday at Anfield. Their performance in Europe has been more favorable this season, which could provide the necessary spark to rejuvenate their campaign. Following this match, they will face a busy schedule with games against West Ham, Sunderland, Leeds United, and Inter Milan within just ten days.