Mohamed Salah has been criticised left, right and centre, but the rebelling Liverpool forward has found himself a surprise ally in the football world
Mohamed Salah has found himself an unlikely ally in ex-Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson, who believes Arne Slot has dropped the wrong Liverpool player. Salah, 33, may have already played his last match for the Reds.
His mixed-zone tirade against Slot after the 3-3 away draw with Leeds United resulted in him being left out of the Reds’ squad which beat Inter Milan in the Champions League. In Italy, the Liverpool boss admitted he has no idea as to whether Salah will play for the club again.
Furious with what the Egyptian said, Jamie Carragher responded to the controversial interview with an eight-minute condemnation of the right winger. However, Merson has taken a different viewpoint.
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Speaking to Sky Sports, Merson said: “I’m on Mo Salah’s side. I think he’s gotten too much stick. Maybe he shouldn’t have done what he did, but he’s a human being.
“He’s a winner. He’s a legend. The figures he’s put up on the wing – goals and assists – is off the charts. We’ll never see that again in my opinion.
“All he’s done is say he wants to play football. He’s got the hump because he’s not playing. How could you be slaughtered for that?
“There are other players in the team that could’ve been dropped and he’s probably thinking ‘We’re not very good and I’m not playing’. I just think it’s wrong.
“Liverpool wouldn’t have won anything if it wasn’t for Mo Salah. You take away his goals and assists and I don’t think there’s any trophies in that cabinet for a while.”
Salah is Liverpool’s third highest goal-scorer, only behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt. His 250 goals have inspired Liverpool to two Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup, the Club World Cup and two League Cups.
Last season, he delivered one of the best individual campaigns in English football history, contributing 34 goals and 23 assists in 52 appearances for Slot’s side.
So far, he has only mustered five goals and three assists in 19 appearances in all competitions, which is a small return for a player of his standards. However, Merson believes he should be trusted to rediscover the form which made him so dangerous last season.
The Sky Sports pundit said: “He’s not the only one who has been playing poorly. Mo Salah can score from anywhere. He’s the best worst player. Some days he is the best player you’ve ever seen and others you think, ‘Really – what’s the hype?’
“He can be having the worst game ever but it never affects him. He can always pop up. As a manager, when you’re struggling, do you drop your best player? That’s where I think he’s got the hump and he’s just come out and been honest.”
