Manager Paul Merson has defended Mohamed Salah, claiming Liverpool had “thrown him under the bus” and suggested the club’s trophy cabinet would be even emptier without the Egyptian.
In a shocking interview following the 3-3 draw with Leeds, Salah questioned why Liverpool manager Arne Slott left him out of the team despite the Reds’ poor form, and his departure has become a hot topic.
The 33-year-old, who signed a contract extension at Anfield towards the end of last season, also hinted that his relationship with Slott had broken down and he was subsequently left out of the squad that beat Inter Milan in the Champions League.
But Salah has at least one supporter in the Magic Man, and Salah shatters who he believes is right and wrong in the story.
“I’m with Salah – Liverpool wouldn’t have won anything without him.”
“I’m on Mo Salah’s side. I think he’s too attached.
“Maybe he shouldn’t have done what he did, but he’s a human being. He’s a winner, he’s a legend. The numbers he put up on the side – goals and assists – are extraordinary. In my opinion, we’ll never see that again.”
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Former Egypt and Tottenham striker Mido has given his opinion on whether Mohamed Salah should leave Liverpool.
“All he did was say he wanted to play football. He’s got a hump because he’s not playing. How can he get slaughtered for that?
“There are other players in the team who could be left out and he’s probably thinking, ‘We’re not very good and I can’t play.’ I think that’s wrong.”
“Without Mo Salah, Liverpool wouldn’t have won anything. You took away his goals and assists and I don’t think there will be any trophies in that cabinet for a while.”
“A frustrated Salah can score from anywhere.”
“I don’t think he should play because he’s won before. But he’s not the only one who played poorly. Mo Salah can score from anywhere. He’s the best of the worst.”
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Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett analyzes the Liverpool forward’s stats following Mohamed Salah’s comments.
“Some days he’s the best player I’ve ever seen, and other days I’m like, ‘Really, what’s the hype?’ He might have the worst game ever, but it never affects him. He can show up at any time.
“As a manager, when you’re struggling, do you take your best player off? I think that’s where it’s difficult for him, but he just came out and was honest.
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Sky Sports’ chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekor explains how Mohamed Salah’s move to Saudi Arabia could happen, or whether he could even be tempted by a move to another club in Europe or the Premier League.
“He could have left for free in January. He chose to stay. He’s sitting there at 33 and thinking, ‘I want to play football, I’m nearing the end of my career.’ He can’t play and he’s frustrated.”
“Salah is suffering without Alexander-Arnold”
“We are bringing in a player who plays on the right wing, who is not as good as Salah. We have to remember that he has already played with four or five full-backs this season.”
“I don’t think they took that into account when Trent Alexander-Arnold left, I think they were lazy.
“I think they thought, ‘We have (Conor) Bradley. He can play with (Dominik) Szoboszlai there. He can play with Curtis Jones there.’ (Jeremy) Frimpong comes in, he’s more of an offensive player than a defensive player.
Paul Merson believes Liverpool overlooked the impact losing Trent Alexander-Arnold would have on Salah
“When Alexander-Arnold was playing there, he won the ball on the halfway line and you had to engage because he was the best passer in the Premier League. He would destroy you.”
“Now, all of a sudden, if a right-back gets the ball on the halfway line, the team is saying, ‘You can have the ball, we’ll double Mo Salah.’
“I played with one of the greatest players in England’s history in John Barnes. I still hear people saying he never represented England. In the past, when you kicked off, two players would go and stand in front of him. It’s exactly the same at Liverpool now.”
“If Salah doesn’t play well, Liverpool can’t win. He’s won a lot of sticks, but I don’t think we’ve taken into account the full-backs who play behind him.”
“The new contract was a mistake, but he is not to blame for the lack of defense.”
“On transfer deadline day I said I wouldn’t give him £400,000 a week because he could break his foot. His foot could have broken while Liverpool were winning every week and you never know.”
“I read a report the other day that said Liverpool’s poor defense was because Mo Salah didn’t go back. He never went back. Why would you want him back? Put him up front and give him the ball.”
“I think the defense was so bad that he took the brunt of it and it got blown out of proportion.
“He’s one of the best players in the history of the Premier League, but now he’s talked about as if he was average at best.”
“Salah gave back to his teammates”
“I think he has done good things for the players. We are not looking at them now, we are not looking at their performance. Everyone is talking about Mo Salah.
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Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk admits he has no idea what Salah’s future holds
“They went to Inter Milan and did very well, but before that they couldn’t beat Leeds, they couldn’t beat Sunderland. When was the last time Liverpool couldn’t beat a newly promoted side? Let alone twice.”
“If they were winning 5-0 and he was sitting on the bench, I think he would have kept his mouth shut. You feel the hump when they don’t beat the newly promoted team, especially when things didn’t go well against Leeds. You’re talking about their go-to guy.”
“If Mo Salah can’t come back to that team, he should quit.”
