Jamie Carragher has questioned Mohamed Salah’s leadership after accusing the Liverpool forward of only speaking ‘when he needs a new contract or wins man of the match’.
Virgil van Dijk said Liverpool are in a ‘mess’ after a 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Anfield saw the defending Premier League champions slip to their sixth defeat in seven matches.
However, Carragher believes the captain should not be fronting media duties in the face of every crisis and Salah should be shouldering some of the responsibility, especially after using post-match interviews as a vehicle last season to talk about his contract ahead of signing a new one last April.
“After the Forest game, Virgil van Dijk has come out and spoken, as he should do as the captain,” Carragher said on Monday Night Football.
“On the back of all these Liverpool defeats, it’s always Van Dijk who comes out and speaks. The captain should do that but there should be other players in that dressing room and speaking for the club.
“A year ago this weekend, Mo Salah wasn’t shy in speaking about his own situation and the club not offering him a contract. I only ever hear Salah speak when he gets man of the match or when he needs a new contract.
“I would like to see Salah as one of the leaders and legends of Liverpool come out and speak for the team.”
Salah’s form this season has come under fire from fans and pundits, having scored just four goals and assisting two in 12 league games despite winning the Premier League’s Golden Boot last campaign.
The defeat to Forest equalled Liverpool’s biggest loss at Anfield during the Premier League era, causing manager Arne Slot to come under scrutiny after they fell 11 points behind league leaders Arsenal.
However, Carragher believes the Dutchman should keep his job after delivering the title last season.
“No, not in mind at any time through this season. But I must say, some of the people I spoke to after the Forest game – fans, friends, family – and how they spoke about Slot shocked me a little bit.
“There is huge respect for what he did last season. To win the title in your first season is pretty special.
“But I have the feeling that he doesn’t have the unconditional love and support that Jurgen Klopp always had.
“[Jurgen] Klopp had ropey times. At one stage, he lost six games in a row at Anfield. But at no stage did l feel that we were speaking about Jurgen Klopp’s position in the way people have been speaking about Arne Slot’s position over the weekend.
“For me, there should be no thought and no talk about this manager being out of a job this season.”