Mohamed Salah Under Fire for Staying Silent During Liverpool's Dramatic Downfall
Jamie Carragher has criticized Mohamed Salah for remaining silent during Liverpool's terrible streak, arguing the Egyptian forward only addresses the media when he "receives player of the match honors or requires contract negotiations".
The Merseyside club hit rock bottom on Saturday as they suffered a 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Anfield, marking their eighth loss in 11 games across all tournaments and dropping them to 12th place in the Premier League standings.
Arne Slot faces immense pressure as he experiences second-season struggles, with Liverpool's record-breaking £446 million summer transfer expenditure—the highest in Premier League history—adding to the mounting criticism.
Virgil van Dijk described Liverpool's circumstances as "chaotic" following the Forest embarrassment, but former Reds defender Carragher thinks the club's other senior players, including Salah, should address the media after disappointing displays.
Carragher: Leaders Come Out and Speak
"Following the Forest match, Virgil van Dijk has stepped forward to comment, which is appropriate for the captain," Carragher stated on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football. "Throughout all these Liverpool losses, it's consistently Van Dijk who emerges to speak. While the captain should fulfill this role, other players in that locker room should also represent the club.
"Twelve months ago, Mo Salah wasn't hesitant about discussing his personal circumstances and the club's failure to present him with a contract offer. I only hear Salah communicate when he earns man of the match recognition or requires contract discussions.
"I would appreciate seeing Salah, as one of Liverpool's leaders and icons, step forward and represent the team."
Salah earned Premier League Player of the Season honors for 2024-25 as Liverpool secured the championship, but has performed at a significantly reduced standard this season. He's recorded only eight goal contributions overall for the Reds compared to 22 at this stage last campaign.
Wayne Rooney Calls for Mohamed Salah to Be Dropped
Wayne Rooney has added to the expert criticism surrounding Salah's displays, questioning the Egyptian's effort levels and encouraging Slot to bench his key attacker.
"Salah isn't contributing defensively. If you're among the players they've acquired and you're sitting on the substitutes' bench watching him not tracking back—despite being a club icon and everything he's accomplished for the organization—what signal does that convey to you?" remarked the former Manchester United forward.
"If I were Slot, I'd attempt to make a bold choice just to influence the remainder of the squad," Rooney continued when addressing the possibility of benching Salah. "When you're struggling to win matches, you aim to remain organized and difficult to overcome, so I believe during this challenging phase, he absolutely must make that call."
Whether Slot will exclude Salah from his starting formation remains uncertain, but attention will focus on the Dutch manager's team selection for Wednesday's Champions League encounter against PSV Eindhoven. Another loss could prove devastating for the 47-year-old.