Carragher Critiques Salah’s Leadership Amid Liverpool’s Struggles

This time last year, Jamie Carragher labeled Mohamed Salah as “selfish” for publicly voicing his disappointment over Liverpool’s failure to offer him a new contract.

During a discussion on Sky Sports, Carragher stated, “The most important thing for Liverpool this season is not the future of Mo Salah, nor the future of Virgil van Dijk or Trent Alexander-Arnold. The priority is Liverpool winning the Premier League. That is far more significant than any individual player. If Salah continues to make comments or if his agent posts cryptic tweets, that is selfish; it shows a focus on personal interests rather than the club’s well-being.”

The Egyptian international responded to Carragher, but their feud subsided when Salah signed a two-year contract at Anfield. Fast forward to the present, and Carragher has again criticized the 33-year-old following Liverpool’s recent slump to 12th place in the Premier League, having lost six of their last seven matches.

Salah’s performance has mirrored Liverpool’s struggles; he scored 34 goals last season but has only netted five in 17 appearances this term. After the team’s 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, captain Virgil van Dijk emphasized that “everyone must take responsibility” for the current predicament, urging his teammates to help lift the Merseyside club out of its troubles. Carragher has called on Salah to embrace a leadership role moving forward.

Before Manchester United’s 1-0 loss to Everton on Monday, Carragher expressed his thoughts on Monday Night Football: “Virgil van Dijk has consistently spoken out after recent defeats, which is commendable for a captain. However, other players should also step up and voice their perspectives for the club. A year ago, Salah was vocal about his contract situation, but I only hear from him when he wins man of the match or is negotiating a new deal. I’d like to see him, as one of Liverpool’s legends, take a leadership stance for the team. The burden shouldn’t solely rest on the captain. It is worth noting that the manager is also under significant pressure, especially given the team’s current performance and the financial investments made over the summer.”

Despite the disheartening results, manager Arne Slot, who has spent over £400 million on player acquisitions this summer, remains resolute ahead of a demanding fixture list. He conveyed a sense of optimism, indicating that a “solution” for the team may be close at hand.

When asked about his players’ confidence levels, Slot replied, “I don’t perceive or observe a lack of confidence. After going 1-0 down, we struggled momentarily, but I endeavored to uplift the team for the second half. They immediately conceded again and went 2-0 down, yet I cannot fault their effort. The solution is not far away; we have created opportunities and have not conceded excessively. This trend cannot continue indefinitely, but we must focus on our own performance and identify areas for improvement when we concede. We have not scored in our last two matches.”

Liverpool will aim to move past the loss to Nottingham Forest when they host PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League at Anfield on Wednesday. The Reds have experienced more success in European competitions this season, making this match a potential opportunity to rejuvenate their campaign. Following this fixture, they will face West Ham, Sunderland, Leeds United, and Inter Milan within a span of ten days.