TAURANGA:The inquest into reigning Premier League champions Liverpool’s alarming slump continued following a devastating 2-1 home defeat to rivals Manchester United, with club legend Jamie Carragher delivering the shock demand that forward Mohamed Salah should no longer be an automatic starter.
Liverpool, under Arne Slot, have now suffered four consecutive defeats across all competitions, but despite Cody Gakpo creating an abundance of chances—including hitting the post three times—Carragher, a pundit for Sky Sports, singled out the 33-year-old Egyptian for his underwhelming form and persistent tactical shortcomings.
“We’re at a stage now with Mo Salah where he shouldn’t be playing every game, it shouldn’t be a case of ‘he’s the first name on the team sheet,’” Carragher mused post-game, having previously called for Florian Wirtz to be dropped.
The former defender’s criticism focused on Salah’s drop in influence, especially in away fixtures where defensive contributions are crucial.
“I do think in the away games and helping your full-back, I don’t think Salah should be starting every game right now, certainly away from home, with the form he’s in.”
Jamie Carragher, Former Liverpool Defender
The comments echo a recent admission from Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella before the international break, who revealed that Chelsea deliberately targeted Liverpool’s right flank, knowing Salah often neglects his defensive duties. While Manager Arne Slot has publicly defended this tactical compromise, Carragher is unconvinced.
Salah was notably substituted in the final five minutes of the Manchester United loss, a move Carragher saw as an admission of his fading sharpness. The pundit suggested a rotation strategy for the forward, particularly with two tricky away games looming: one in Europe and a Premier League clash at Brentford.
“He should always start at Anfield because Liverpool will be on top, around the edge of the box and more often than not he scores in those situations,” Carragher conceded, but insisted that the time for the forward to be an ‘untouchable’ in the starting XI is over.
The defeat to Manchester United, sealed by Harry Maguire’s late header, leaves Liverpool’s title defense in tatters and puts significant pressure on Slot to make big selection calls as he attempts to arrest the worrying slide.
