Jamie Carragher didn’t hold back in his criticism of Mohamed Salah after his “choreographed” comments to “throw my club under the bus”, branding the Liverpool legend a “disgrace”.
Having not started Liverpool’s last three games and remaining on the bench for two of them – the 2-0 win over West Ham and the 3-3 draw with Leeds on Saturday – Salah gave an explosive interview after his Elland Road snub, in which he claimed “the club has thrown me under the bus” and called out Arne Slot over a breakdown in their relationship.
Slot said on Monday evening that Salah being dropped from their 19-man squad for their trip to play Inter Milan in the Champions League was a “clear” indication of his thoughts on the matter, though he needs to prove he’s not “weak” rather than just saying he isn’t.
And Carragher gave a rather more forceful response after the Egyptian had name-checked the pundit in those post-Leeds comments in expectation of a headline-making reaction which the former Liverpool defender duly delivered on Monday Night Football.
“I thought it was a disgrace what he did after the game,” Carragher said on Sky Sports. “Some people have painted it as an emotional outburst. I don’t think it was. I think whenever Mo Salah stops in a mixed zone, which he’s done four times in eight years at Liverpool, it’s choreographed with him and his agent to cause maximum damage and strengthen his own position.
“He did that 12 months ago and I called him out on it. He played on the heartstrings of the Liverpool supporters. Liverpool were top of the league, he’d scored the winning goal at Southampton and that was the time to come out and put on the pressure on the Liverpool ownership.
“He’s chose this weekend to do this, and he’s waited I think to choose a bad result for Liverpool. Supporters, the manager, everyone at the club feels like they’re in the gutter and he’s chosen that time to go for the manager and maybe get him sacked.
“The one line that stands out for me is ‘thrown under the bus’. He’s thrown the club under the bus twice in the last 12 months. With the manager right now, he should be doing as much as he can to help the club get out of the worst run they’ve had since the 1950s and he hasn’t done that.”
Carragher added: “You talk about the ego of these types of players, Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappe, Salah. I think they have a feeling that the success of a football club is down to them. It then becomes a problem when you’re in a situation like this. When Mo Salah’s talking about how many goals he’s scored, ‘I’ve got more than anyone else in the Premier League’, he’s always talking about himself.
“I’d remind Salah and his agent that before he came to Liverpool he was known as the man who failed at Chelsea. He’d never won a major trophy before he came to Liverpool. Mo Salah’s never won the [Africa Cup of Nations], that’s not me trying to put him down as a player. He’s one of the best players in the world over the last eight years, very few better. But, what it tells Salah and his agent is that it’s not about an individual.
“You weren’t a big star before you came to Liverpool, you haven’t won anything with Egypt, all that’s saying is no matter how good a player you are, you need help from your team-mates, your manager and fans. I think it’s really important that he remembers that. When he’s talking after the game, all it’s about is me, me, me.”
Carragher went on to hit out at Salah’s performances, slamming his “embarrassing” defending.
He said: “Have I ever criticised Mo Salah on the pitch? I don’t class that [legs gone comment as criticism], that’s something that happens for every player, I’ve never criticised him for not working back, not passing to somebody. He’s a legend, you have to put up with certain things.
“Some of the criticism has been excessive, but I will go after Salah when he tries to throw my club under the bus. Let’s understand Arne Slot, he’s conceded 10 goals in three games, Salah was embarrassing against PSV. West Ham away, we need to keep a clean sheet, you take the one player out of your side you have allowed not to defend.
“You play Sunderland at home, I’d have played him, but it’s understandable, he brings him on at half-time. West Ham away and Leeds away, why would you bring him on when you’re winning those games? You don’t need a goal. You’re bringing on a guy who can’t defend set pieces and doesn’t track back.”