Furious Jamie Carragher brands Mohamed Salah a 'disgrace' in response to Liverpool star's explosive interview
The Egypt international was left on the bench as the Reds drew 3-3 with Leeds at Elland Road, where he spoke to the media in an explosive seven-and-a-half minute interview after the match
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has branded Mohamed Salah a “disgrace” in an explosive takedown of the Egyptian’s claim he has been “thrown under the bus” by manager Arne Slot.
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Salah said he had been “thrown under a bus” and had no relationship with head coach Arne Slot after being left on the bench for a third straight game.
In response, Liverpool withdrew him from the squad for Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Inter Milan.
In a nearly ten-minute rant, Carragher claimed Salah made the comments in an attempt to get Slot sacked and position himself above the club.
“I thought it was a disgrace what he did after the game,” he told Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.
“Some people have painted it as an emotional outburst – I don’t think it was. I think whenever Mo Salah stops in a mixed zone, which he has done four times in eight years at Liverpool, it’s choreographed with his agent to cause maximum damage and strengthen his own position.
“He’s chosen this weekend to do this now, and he’s waited I think for a bad result…everyone involved with the club (feeling) like they’re in the gutter, and he’s chosen that time to go for the manager and maybe try to get him sacked.”
Salah himself implied he might have played his last game for the club as he prepares to jet off to the African Cup of Nations following Liverpool’s clash with Brighton at Anfield next Saturday.
And Carragher added: “What he’s done off the pitch, I think the club have made the right decision in terms of him not going abroad. Whether he will play for Liverpool again, I don’t know.
“I hope he does, because he’s one of the greatest players we’ve ever had, but if you continue like that, and statements like that, if he doesn’t play, who knows.”
Salah made headlines after making a series of explosive comments in the wake of Liverpool’s 3-3 draw to Leeds on Saturday.
“I don’t know what to say,” Salah said. “It’s funny but I couldn’t believe it. It is a really disappointing result for us as a team because we expect to win a game like that.”
Asked what he could not believe, Salah said: “That I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes! The third time on the bench, I think for the first time in my career.
“I’m very, very disappointed to be fair. I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season.
“Now I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.
“I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am on the bench for three games so I can’t say they keep the promise.
“I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager, and all of a sudden we don’t have any relationship.
“I don’t know why but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.
“This club, I always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much I will always do. I called my mum yesterday – you guys didn’t know if I would start or not, but I knew.
“Yesterday I said to them, come to the Brighton game. I don’t know if I am going to play or not but I am going to enjoy it.
“In my head, I’m going to enjoy that game because I don’t know what is going to happen now.
“I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go the Africa Cup of Nations. I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”
Salah, who will join up with Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations on December 15, said he does not understand why last season’s best player “has to defend himself in front of the media and fans”.
“It is not acceptable for me,” he said. “I don’t know why this is happening to me. I don’t get it. I think if this was somewhere else, every club would protect its player.
“How I see it now is like you throw Mo under the bus because he is the problem in the team now. But I don’t think I am the problem. I have done so much for this club.
“The respect, I want to get. I don’t have to go every day fighting for my position because I earned it. I am not bigger than anyone but I earned my position. It’s football. It is what it is."
Asked if this situation hurts, Salah said: “Absolutely. After what I have done for the club it really hurts.
“You can imagine, really. After going from home to the club and you don’t know if you are starting. I know the club too well, I have been here many years.
“Tomorrow (Jamie) Carragher is going to go for me again and again and that’s fine.”
Salah sidestepped a question about interest from Saudi Arabia – “I don’t want to answer this question, because the club is going to take me to a different direction,” he said – and does not know what will happen.
“I cannot say it is impossible (to solve), but from what I feel, I have done so much for the club, I love the fans and the club so much,” he said.
“But I don’t know what is going to happen next.”
Salah laughed when asked if he regretted signing a new deal – “imagine how bad that I have to answer it, honestly” – and insisted there is no issue with his team-mates.
But the Liverpool star has problems with people higher up in the club, including boss Slot.
“Yeah, there’s no relationship between us,” he added. “It was very good relationship and now all of a sudden there is no relationship.”