Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Mohamed Salah, Premier League, Paul Merson, Arne Slot, Football
Luke Davies
Topics: Mohamed Salah, Premier League, Paul Merson, Arne Slot, Football
Former Arsenal star Paul Merson has weighed in with his thoughts on Mohamed Salah’s situation following the Egyptian’s outspoken interview after Liverpool’s 3-3 draw against Leeds United on December 6.
After Arne Slot’s side surrendered a two-goal lead against Leeds at Elland Road, Salah gave an explosive interview to the gathered press pack in the mixed zone of the stadium.
In a lengthy chat with journalists, Salah claimed that “there is no relationship” between himself and Slot before suggesting that he had been thrown “under the bus” for Liverpool’s poor form in recent months.
The 33-year-old, who signed a new contract at Liverpool last summer, had been benched for the previous three Premier League matches before being left out of the Reds’ squad ahead of their 1-0 win against Inter in the Champions League on December 9.
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The forward has since been linked with a potential move to the Saudi Pro League, having been subject to a £150 million bid by Al-Ittihad, which Liverpool rejected in September 2023.
And it’s fair to say not everyone agreed with Salah speaking out against his club, with former Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher branding his comments a “disgrace”.
In an eight-and-a-half-minute rant on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, the Liverpudlian said: “I think when he stops in the mixed zone, it’s choreographed with him and his agent to cause maximum damage and strengthen his own position.”
After accusing Salah of being selfish, he added: "No matter how good a player you are, you need help from your teammates, your manager and fans. And I think it’s important he remembers that. It’s always ‘me me me’.”
As expected, several other pundits have weighed in with their thoughts, including ex-Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who claimed he respected the fact Salah was upset because he wasn’t playing, while also adding that “The couple of lines about throwing people under the bus [was] wrong. He needs to reverse a little bit away from that”.
Then on December 10, Merson gave his take on the situation and drew praise from fans on social media after saying he didn’t know what the “fuss” was about.
“I mean, he’s a professional footballer, he’s a human being first of all, and he’s said what he’s said,” Merson said on X.
“I played Sunday morning football when I retired… and people used to kick off when they were sub for a Sunday morning team. And everybody out there listening to this will know the same, they turn up Sunday morning, and they’re not playing, they’re going to have the raving hump because they want to play football.”
Merson then claimed that other players have not played well this season, including Ryan Gravenberch, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.
Merson continued: “People go, ‘Oh, defensively, they’re not the same,’ because Salah is not tracking back. He never tracked back last season or the year before when he was reeling off figures that no other winger in the history of football will put up again, especially in the Premier League.”
The former Aston Villa man was also quick to recognise the fact that Salah has not refused to play, which is a tactic some other out-of-favour players use when angling for a potential move.
“This lad is getting slaughtered for just showing a bit of passion… everybody’s different,” he added.
Liverpool return to action against Brighton on December 13, with the fixture possibly being Salah’s last game.