Much like the Liverpool dressing-room, Salah’s bombshell social media statement in which he called for the return of ‘heavy-metal football’ has left the Sky Sports punditry team divided.
The Reds were beaten 4-2 by Aston Villa on Friday night to heap the pressure on Slot after what has been an underwhelming season. Liverpool are fifth and yet to secure their Champions League spot having lost 12 of their 37 league matches, and many fans have turned on the Dutchman.
Following the game Salah, who is set to leave the club at the end of the season, appeared to criticise the Liverpool boss in a social media post where he accused the Reds of ‘crumbling to yet another defeat’ and called for a return to ‘heavy-metal attacking football’, a style synonymous with Slot’s predecessor Jurgen Klopp.
It wasn’t the first time that Salah had aired his dirty laundry this season, with the 33-year-old Egypt international claiming he had been ‘thrown under the bus’ by Slot ahead of his departure for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Whether or not it is felt he deserves his send-off on the weekend though, has split opinion, with Carragher taking a nuanced view when it came to analysing whether Slot should start him against Brentford.
‘I don’t believe any manager should ever cut off his nose to spite his face,’ the former Liverpool defender said. ‘If playing Mo Salah at the weekend gives Liverpool the best chance of winning the game, you have to pick him.
Much like the Liverpool dressing-room, Salah’s bombshell social media statement in which he called for the return of ‘heavy-metal football’ has left the Sky Sports punditry team divided
Salah’s relationship with the under pressure Slot has been tested multiple times this season
‘I’ve criticised Mo Salah about being selfish. Arne Slot can’t be selfish, he has to think of the club, what’s best for the club. If Liverpool need a result against Brentford he has to play him if he thinks he’s in his best team.
‘If Liverpool are already qualified for the Champions League, that might be different. Arne Slot might think, “I’m going to play the players or start the players who are going to be here next season and we bring Mo Salah on from the bench.”
‘Arne Slot is not in a position of great strength at Liverpool at the moment, and that’s why Salah made his comments. He hasn’t got the backing of the crowd right now, and that’s why Salah’s done it. He’s put him in a really awkward position where he knows he’s almost got to pick him and give him that send-off because if he doesn’t give him the send-off, I think the fans will turn even more.’
Patrick Vieira, on the other hand, took a substantially more hardline view on matters, insisting that Salah should now have played his last game for the team he represented for nine years.
‘He’s disrespected the manager – and if you’re a manager and you’ve been disrespected by a player, I don’t think he should play him.
‘I don’t think Mo Salah has made a huge difference for Liverpool this year. I don’t think it’s the best Mo Salah we’ve seen this year. So the question will be if Liverpool are better with Mo Salah or without Mo Salah.
‘But the decision has to be made by the manager regarding the respect or the loss of respect Salah has shown him. For me he shouldn’t play him.’
Salah’s latest outpouring of frustration comes amid a hugely disappointing personal season for the forward, who has lifted nine trophies during his time at the Anfield club.
Having won the Premier League’s Player of the Season award in 2024-25 after scoring 29 goals and adding 18 assists, he has netted just seven times this time around and set up six goals.
Interestingly, Carragher said that he wasn’t surprised by Salah’s latest outburst coming so close to the end of the season and his own exit.
‘I’m not surprised,’ he said. ‘I told everybody, “something else will come before the end of the season. He’ll drop another bomb a little bit like Ronaldo did on the way out of Manchester United”. I thought it may come after the end of the season when he’d moved on, but no.
‘Less than two years ago, I called him selfish for doing an interview and I think that rings true again. Liverpool have a really important week. They are still not fully qualified for the Champions League and it should be about Liverpool FC, not Salah FC.
‘It’s vital that Liverpool make the Champions League positions, but I’m not surprised and it’s not a good look at all.’
