Liverpool: Mohamed Salah tipped for new role after being substituted in Manchester United loss | OneFootball

Reds superstar has now gone four games without a goal involvement at club level

Jamie Carragher has said Mohamed Salah should no longer be an automatic starter for Liverpool.

Salah endured another frustrating afternoon as Liverpool were beaten 2-1 at home by Manchester United on Sunday, misssing a couple of guilt-edged chances before being substituted as the Reds chased an equaliser.

Such has been the drop off from the 33-year-old, Carragher believes Arne Slot needs to build the team around big-money summer signings Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.

“I do think watching Mo Salah this season, I absolutely love him, but there’s a tactical set-up with Mo Salah in that he doesn’t help Liverpool’s right-back.

“I’m not criticising him for being lazy and not getting back, we lauded Arne Slot for allowing Salah that role last season and he probably hasn’t got the legs to get up and down like a conventional wide player.

“But if you’re not getting enough from him going the other way - you’re obviously losing something [defensively] - but not gaining it going the other way.

“Watching Mo Salah today, he never got found out defensively because he doesn’t track back but he was off with the ball, he lost the ball a lot through the game and that can happen with him, even in his prime.”

I think we’re at the stage where I don’t think Mo Salah should be like a Virgil van Dijk where he’s the first name on the team sheet

Jamie Carragher

Carragher went on to suggest that Salah should not be the first name on the Liverpool team sheet moving forward - certainly in away games due to his lack of work defensively.

He added: “What I would say with Mo Salah right now is I think we’re at the stage where I don’t think Mo Salah should be like a Virgil van Dijk where he’s the first name on the team sheet.

“Liverpool have got two away games, one in the Champions League against Frankfurt and then they go to Brentford, I don’t think Mo Salah should start both of those games.

“He should always be starting at Anfield because Liverpool are always going to be on top, be right on the edge of the box and more often that not, he scores in those situations today.

“I do think with away games and helping your right full-back as well, I don’t think Mo Salah should be starting every game right now - certainly away from home with the form that he’s in.”