‘A disgrace’: Jamie Carragher responds to Mohamed Salah’s bombshell Liverpool interview | OneFootball

Jamie Carragher has responded to Mohamed Salah’s bombshell Liverpool interview by calling his comments a “disgrace”, accusing the star forward of trying to get head coach Arne Slot sacked and only thinking about “me, me, me”.

In a stunning rebuke of one of Liverpool’s greatest ever players, who Carragher said would go down in history as a Liverpool legend, the former defender and Sky Sports pundit reminded Salah that he had won nothing before arriving at Anfield and that football is not about the “individual”.

During a rare exchange with reporters on Saturday, Salah claimed Liverpool have thrown him “under the bus” and said his relationship with Slot had broken down after he was left on the bench during the draw at Leeds. Salah has now been left out of the squad to face Inter Milan on Tuesday.

Carragher and Salah have exchanged words previously. The former Liverpool defender had called on Salah to be a more of a “leader” just two weeks ago and accused the 33-year-old of only ever speaking out when it suits him.

open image in gallery

Carragher was name-checked by Salah as the Liverpool forward made his explosive comments (Getty Images)

Sensing further criticism from Carragher as he spoke to the media at Elland Road, Salah name-checked the pundit and said: “Tomorrow Carragher is going to go for me again and again and that’s fine.”

Carragher says he does not like criticising Salah because of his immense contribution to Liverpool’s recent success but last week claimed that the forward’s “legs have gone”, along with captain Virgil van Dijk’s.

Salah, who is Liverpool’s third-highest scorer of all time with 250 goals, appeared to take that criticism personally and referenced England striker Harry Kane as he explained why he feels he is not shown more respect.

And on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Carragher defended his criticism of Salah as he declared: “I will go after Salah when he tries to throw my club under the bus”.

“I thought it was a disgrace what he did after the game,” Carragher said on Sky Sports. “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’s done four times in eight years at Liverpool, it’s choreographed with him and his agent to cause maximum damage and strengthen his own position.

“He did that 12 months ago and I called him out on it. He played on the heartstrings of the Liverpool supporters. Liverpool were top of the league, he’d scored the winning goal at Southampton and that was the time to come out and put on the pressure on the Liverpool ownership.

“He’s chose this weekend to do this, and he’s waited I think to choose a bad result for Liverpool. Supporters, the manager, everyone at the club feels like they’re in the gutter and he’s chosen that time to go for the manager and maybe get him sacked.

open image in gallery

Carragher accused Salah of lashing out when Liverpool are in the ‘gutter’ (PA Wire)

“The one line that stands out for me is ‘thrown under the bus’. He’s thrown the club under the bus twice in the last 12 months. With the manager right now, he should be doing as much as he can to help the club get out of the worst run they’ve had since the 1950s and he hasn’t done that.”

Carragher accepted that star players such as Salah don’t expect to be on the bench and are upset when they are, but he blasted the 33-year-old’s “ego” and reminded him that football is a team sport. In April, Salah was awarded a lucrative two-year contract after firing Liverpool to the Premier League title in a record-breaking campaign, but he has only scored five goals this season and Liverpool have won only four of their last 15 games, losing nine.

“You talk about the ego of these types of players, Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappe, Salah. I think they have a feeling that the success of a football club is down to them,” Carragher said. “It then becomes a problem when you’re in a situation like this. When Mo Salah’s talking about how many goals he’s scored, ‘I’ve got more than anyone else in the Premier League’, he’s always talking about himself.

open image in gallery

Carragher says Salah is a Liverpool ‘legend’ but is upset at his behaviour (PA Wire)

“I’d remind Salah and his agent that before he came to Liverpool he was known as the man who failed at Chelsea. He’d never won a major trophy before he came to Liverpool. He's also the greatest player ever in Egypt. Egypt are the most successful country in the Africa Cup of Nations [Afcon] and he's going there in a couple of weeks.

“Salah’s never won the Afcon. That’s not me trying to put him down as a player. He’s one of the best players in the world over the last eight years, very few better. But, what it tells Salah and his agent is that it’s not about an individual.

“You weren’t a big star before you came to Liverpool. You haven’t won anything with Egypt. All that’s saying is no matter how good a player you are, you need help from your team-mates, your manager and fans. I think it’s really important that he remembers that. When he’s talking after the game, all it’s about is me, me, me.”

open image in gallery

Carragher said Salah was known as the player who ‘failed at Chelsea’ before joining Liverpool (Getty Images)

Carragher also called Salah’s defending “embarrassing” this season, explaining why Slot has dropped the forward during Liverpool’s struggles, and added: “Have I ever criticised Mo Salah on the pitch? I don't class that [legs gone comment as criticism], that's something that happens for every player, I've never criticised him for not working back, not passing to somebody. He's a legend, you have to put up with certain things.

“Some of the criticism has been excessive, but I will go after Salah when he tries to throw my club under the bus. Let's understand Arne Slot, he's conceded 10 goals in three games, Salah was embarrassing against PSV. West Ham away, we need to keep a clean sheet, you take the one player out of your side you have allowed not to defend.

“You play Sunderland at home, I'd have played him, but it's understandable, he brings him on at half-time. West Ham away and Leeds away, why would you bring him on when you're winning those games? You don't need a goal. You're bringing on a guy who can't defend set pieces and doesn't track back.”