Carragher criticises Salah and compares him to Ronaldo

salah

Following Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah's broadside, club legend Jamie Carragher has seen enough. The pundit draws a telling comparison with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Following Liverpool's bitter 2-4 defeat to Aston Villa, Salah had exacerbated the already tense situation at Liverpool with his call for a return to the "heavy-metal football" of days gone by. Carragher did not mince his words on Sky Sports and launched a direct attack on the forward.

"I'm not surprised," the former defender stated coolly. For Carragher, the scandal was a disaster waiting to happen, recalling the undignified exit of another global superstar: "I told everyone: something's going to happen before the end of the season. He'll drop another bombshell, a bit like Ronaldo did when he left Manchester United. I thought it might wait until after the season, once he'd moved on, but no."

Carragher added, "I called him selfish in an interview, and I still believe that. Liverpool have a crucial week coming up; they haven't secured their Champions League spot yet, and the focus should be on Liverpool FC, not Salah FC."

Aston Villa v Liverpool - Premier League

Salah addresses Slot in no uncertain terms

The trigger was Salah's post, which many interpreted as a takedown of manager Arne Slot and his methods. The Egyptian wrote: "I have seen this club transform from doubters to believers, and from believers to champions. That took hard work, and I have always done everything I could to help the club achieve that goal. Nothing makes me prouder than that. Losing again hurts and is not what our fans deserve. I hope Liverpool will once more become the bold, attacking side that opponents fear—and a team that wins titles."

His words spoke volumes. Midfield legend Steven Gerrard jumped in, arguing that the cryptic post was clear proof of a divided dressing room and a team identity lost under Slot's leadership.

"He pulled the pin on a grenade," the manager said, explaining the player's decisive move.

TV pundit Gary Neville defended Carragher and lambasted the Egyptian's timing. He insisted that no leading club worldwide would accept such public humiliation of its manager. 

"He pulled the pin out of a grenade right in the middle of the room and is now simply walking out," Neville analysed. "Mo isn't exactly happy. It's not a nice situation. If he were a Manchester United player, I'd be absolutely furious."

Yet he also recognises the reality of modern football's power structures: "You can never silence a player of this calibre, with this stature and personality. If they have something to say, they will say it, and they will say it when you least want to hear it. That was a telling remark; Arne Slot won't be pleased."

Liverpool v Chelsea - Premier League

Will Slot pick Salah for the match against Brentford?

For Slot, the build-up to the Brentford game feels like a suicide mission. If he punishes Salah by benching him, he risks sacrificing vital quality at a crucial stage in the race for a Champions League spot. 

Carragher therefore urges the coach to be as pragmatic as possible: "I don't think a manager should ever shoot himself in the foot. If playing Mo Salah at the weekend gives Liverpool the best chance of a win, you have to pick him."

Slot's fragile position at the club only adds to the pressure. "I've criticised Mo Salah for being selfish. Arne Slot mustn't be selfish. He has to think of the club, of what's best for the club," said Carragher. "If Liverpool need a good result against Brentford, he has to pick him if he believes he's in his best team. Arne Slot isn't in a particularly strong position at Liverpool at the moment, and that's why Salah made those comments. He doesn't have the fans' support right now. That's why Salah did that. He's put him in a really awkward position."