Jamie Carragher has branded Mohamed Salah ‘disgraceful’ after his explosive interview hitting out at Liverpool and Arne Slot.
Salah accused Liverpool of ‘throwing him under the bus’ and said his relationship with the Anfield boss had broken down.
Salah raised huge doubts over his future at Liverpool after Saturday’s 3-3 draw against Leeds United – the third game in a row he began on the bench.
Egyptian superstar Salah, a Premier League and Liverpool legend, has been widely criticised for his extraordinary interview, with Wayne Rooney saying he risks ‘destroying his legacy’.
Carragher was also furious by Salah’s outburst and said it was the forward who has in truth ‘thrown the club under the bus’ – not the opposite way around.
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‘I assumed it was a disgrace what he did after the sport,’ Carragher said on Sky Sports. ‘Some people have painted it as an emotional outburst, I don’t think it was.
‘I believe each time Mo Salah stops in the combo zone, which he’s done 4 times in eight years at Liverpool, it’s choreographed between him and his agent to cause maximum damage and to strengthen his own position.
‘He did that 12 months ago and I called him out on this show about it. He played on the heartstrings of the Liverpool supporters.
‘Liverpool were top of the league and he’d scored the wining goal at Southampton. That was the time to return out and put pressure on the Liverpool ownership.
‘So, for the remainder of the season you might have banners in the group saying ‘Give Mo his dough’.
‘He’s chosen this weekend to do that now and he’s waited for a foul result, they’ve conceded a final minute goal.
‘The Liverpool supporters, the manager, the entire club seems like it’s within the gutter in the meanwhile, and he’s chosen that point to go for the manager and possibly try to get him sacked.
What did Salah say? Key quotes from explosive interview
- On being benched again versus Leeds: ‘The third time on the bench, I believe for the primary time in my profession. I’m very, very upset to be fair. I even have done a lot for this club down the years and particularly last season. Now I’m sitting on the bench and I do not know why. It looks like the club has thrown me under the bus. That’s how I’m feeling. I believe it is rather clear that somebody wanted me to get the entire blame.’
- On his relationship with Arne Slot: ‘I said persistently before that I had a great relationship with the manager and unexpectedly, we haven’t any relationship. I do not know why, however it seems to me, how I see it, that somebody doesn’t want me within the club.’
- On whether Saturday’s game against Brighton could possibly be his last Liverpool game: ‘In my head, I will enjoy that game because I do not know what will occur now. I will likely be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go the Africa Cup (of Nations). I do not know what will occur once I am there.’
- On whether he regrets signing a brand new contract last season: ‘Imagine how bad that I even have to reply it, truthfully. That hurts, even the query hurts. This club, signing for this club, I won’t ever regret it. I assumed I will renew here and end my profession here, but this just isn’t based on the plan.’
- On transfer interest from the Saudi Pro League: ‘I don’t wish to answer this query, since the club goes to take me to a unique direction.’
‘That’s the way in which I felt about it.’
Carragher also said Salah had ‘thrown his right-back under the bus’ ever since his £34m move from Roma in 2017.
‘The road that stands out for me is ‘thrown under the bus’,’ Carragher added. ‘He’s tried to throw the club under the bus twice within the last 12 months with the situations just mentioned.
‘Going after the owners initially, and these are owners who’ve been paying him lots of of 1000’s of kilos for six years, he’s complained a 12 months ago because they hadn’t given him a brand new contract on the age of 32. The club are greater than entitled to do this.
‘With the manager straight away, Salah ought to be doing as much as he can now to try to help the club get out of the worst run of results they’ve had because the Fifties, and he hasn’t done that.
‘But once I’ve considered it over the weekend and I’ve put myself in Salah’s position or how I used to be as a player, I’m not Mo Salah. Salah is a player, who is legendary all world wide, and may those players be treated in another way?
‘I believe they need to. While you consider the players in that bracket over the past eight years, Messi, Ronaldo and Mbappe. I wouldn’t put Salah alongside them but he’s very close for what he’s done for Liverpool.
‘He’s a legendary figure and all those players get a privilege. The exact same one as Salah gets at Liverpool and that’s he doesn’t should defend. he doesn’t should chase back.
‘That’s what he has at Liverpool but after we are talking about throwing people under the bus, he’s thrown the Liverpool right back under the bus for eight years. Imagine playing behind him for eight years.
‘But we accept it because we’re a superstar and he’s scored 250 goals, and he’s given me as a Liverpool supporter a few of the biggest nights of my life watching him and what he’s done.’
Carragher identified that he has ‘never criticised’ Salah’s performances on the pitch up until now.
Nevertheless, he modified his stance within the aftermath of Salah’s extraordinary interview and accused him of not doing enough to assist struggling Liverpool summer signing Florian Wirtz.
‘Have I ever criticised Mo Salah on the pitch? I’ve never criticised him for not working bad or not scoring because he’s a fully legend on the club,’ Carragher said.
‘A number of the criticism this season has been excessive and I’ve said that. But I will go after him when he tries to throw my club under the bus.
‘He’s been amazing and his legacy is already there. Where he really let himself down was within the Champions League game at Frankfurt and in one other game.
‘There’s a man who signed for Liverpool who needs a goal greater than anyone and that’s Florian Wirtz. He should’ve rolled that ball to Wirtz for a straightforward tap-in and celebrated with him and told him, “you’re the guy who’s going to take this team forward, I don’t need anymore goals”.
‘The one criticism I even have is help the opposite players and don’t be obsessed together with your own numbers. The club have made the proper decision. I hope he plays for the club again but I don’t know if he’ll.’
Slot had already faced the media at Elland Road by the point Salah’s comments emerged but addressed the explosive interview at his pre-Inter Milan press conference on Monday evening.
Salah has established himself as one among Liverpool’s all-time greats since his £34m move from Roma in 2017, scoring 250 goals in 420 appearances.
Only two players in history have more goals for Liverpool than Salah, who has won two Premier League titles, the Champions League, FA Cup and EFL Cup during his time on Merseyside.
Salah enjoyed his best season to this point last 12 months to assist Slot win the Premier League title in his first season since replacing Jurgen Klopp within the Anfield hot-seat.
The 33-year-old and Liverpool as a complete have struggled this season, slipping to ninth within the Premier League.
Salah has previously been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia and Pro League side Al-Hilal are believed to be lining up a January offer.
More to follow…
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