Mohamed Salah has been criticised by some for his outburst against Arne Slot, but Arsenal icon and Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has taken the side of the Liverpool forward
Arsenal icon Paul Merson believes Mohamed Salah has every right to be angry with Liverpool manager Arne Slot. Salah may well have already featured in his final match for the Merseyside club.
Following the 33-year-old's explosive mixed-zone outburst aimed at Slot after Liverpool's 3-3 away draw with Leeds United, Salah was omitted from the squad that triumphed over Inter Milan in the Champions League. Speaking in Italy, the Liverpool manager confessed he's uncertain whether Salah will don the red shirt again.
Jamie Carragher didn't hold back in his response to the contentious interview, delivering an eight-minute takedown of the right winger. Yet Merson has offered a contrasting perspective.
Merson said to Sky Sports: "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 ranks third in Liverpool's all-time top scorers list, trailing only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt. His tally of 250 goals has propelled Liverpool to two Premier League titles, a Champions League trophy, an FA Cup, the Club World Cup and two League Cups.
Last season, he put on a masterclass, netting 34 goals and providing 23 assists in 52 appearances for Slot's team. This season, however, his form has dipped, with just five goals and three assists from 19 games across all competitions - a modest return by his lofty standards.
Despite this, Merson is confident Salah will bounce back to his lethal best. The Sky Sports pundit added: "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."
Bidexcutt
1
Bro those training shit are nonsense by just fooling the coach, hazard doesn't do any shit training but when it's time to play he plays more than the whole team and when he get to Madrid and started training he always suffer am injury that later ruined is carrier, though am not saying everything is hazard oo but most of these player will impress you during training but offers nothing In the main match. Salah is to good than those players to be drop because he's not playing well in training, virgil hasn't been adding anything to their defence so far this season, why didn't he drop him and he has been making error.ry
suaaekpu
0
Take no notice of what Paul Merson says about Liverpool. Merson drink Carlsberg Beer, he's stopped drinking Foster's Beer 😂🤣
citbkopty
1
There's a lot going on the training grounds. Lads are now selected based on training. what if he's not performing well there?
Zawbknoruz
0
this merson guy talks trash, football is teamwork, could salah hv scored those goals without being assisted
kolonegooner
0
I think its more of the EFFORT put forth by the player .... do the extras when the ship is not steady...IMO