Jamie Carragher has condemned Mohamed Salah’s post-match interview as ‘a disgrace’, while admitting he hopes the forward has not played his last game for Liverpool.
Salah was left out of the squad after publicly saying he no longer had a relationship with manager Arne Slot and accusing the club of ‘throwing him under the bus’ following his third consecutive benching. Salah had been name-checked by Carragher, who told Monday Night Football the interview appeared planned and suggested it may have been intended to weaken Slot after Liverpool surrendered a two-goal lead in the 3-3 draw at Leeds.
‘I thought it was a disgrace what he did after the game,’ Carragher said. He argued the intervention was not an emotional outburst but something ‘choreographed with him and his agent to cause maximum damage and strengthen his own position.’ Carragher added that Salah had chosen a moment when the team and supporters were already down, implying the timing was deliberate and potentially meant to put pressure on the manager.
Despite his harsh words, Carragher said he does not want Salah’s Liverpool career to end amid this row. Salah did not travel to Milan for Tuesday’s Champions League match with Inter and has suggested the Premier League home game against Brighton could be his last appearance before joining Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations on December 15, with the possibility he would not return until the January transfer window.
‘The club have made the right decision in terms of him not going abroad now,’ Carragher said. ‘Whether he will play for Liverpool again, I don’t know. I hope he does, because he is one of the greatest players we’ve ever had. But if you continue like that and make statements like that if he doesn’t play, who knows?’
Salah had warned Carragher would ‘go for me again and again’ after speaking out. Carragher responded by pointing out he has rarely criticised Salah on the pitch and that observations such as Salah’s legs looking off were not personal attacks. He said he would defend a player of Salah’s standing but would also challenge him if he felt Salah was unfairly undermining the club.
Carragher also urged Salah to be less self-focused and to support new signings Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, who have struggled to settle at Liverpool. He reminded Salah that before joining Liverpool he had not been a major trophy winner at club level and has yet to win the Africa Cup of Nations, arguing even elite players need backing from teammates, managers and fans.
Arne Slot said he was ‘surprised’ by Salah’s claim that their relationship had broken down and confirmed the only contact since the interview had been to tell Salah he would not travel to Italy. Slot left the door open to reconciliation but said he could not say whether Salah had played his final game for the club and that any involvement against Brighton would be decided after the Inter fixture.
Sky Sports described the situation as a seismic moment for Liverpool. Analyst Zinny Boswell wrote that by naming only Slot in his interview, Salah had created a ‘me vs him’ dynamic, forcing the club into a decision and making next Saturday’s match against Brighton — his last before AFCON — a possible Anfield farewell.
What’s next for Salah?
– Tuesday December 9: Liverpool travel to Milan to face Inter in the Champions League. Salah was omitted from the travelling squad.
– Saturday December 13: Liverpool host Brighton at Anfield.
– Monday December 15: Salah is due to travel to AFCON with Egypt.
– Thursday January 1: The transfer window opens.