Jamie Carragher doubles down on Mohamed Salah 'disgrace' interview as transfer uncertainty looms

View 2 Images

Jamie Carragher has refused to back down on his criticism of Mohamed Salah following the Liverpool star's explosive interview after the thrilling 3-3 Premier League draw with Leeds United .

The Egyptian forward told journalists he no longer shares a bond with Liverpool manager Arne Slot and accused the club of throwing him 'under the bus' after being dropped for three consecutive matches. After the interview emerged, Carragher suggested Salah's comments were calculated and designed to force Slot out of his job.

"I thought it was a disgrace what he did after the game," the Sky Sports analyst said. "Some people have painted it as an emotional outburst, I don't think it was.

"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."

Salah was absent for the Reds' Champions League victory against Inter Milan before making his way back into the squad for the triumph over Brighton & Hove Albion. The winger entered the fray during the opening period in what might prove to be his last outing for the Merseyside giants.

With time having passed, Carragher has revisited Salah's predicament and declined to describe his remarks as excessive. "No [when asked if he would have done anything differently]. I kept going because I kept getting asked questions about it," he said on the Stick to Football podcast.

"We were on the Champions League and Liverpool were playing that night, and there was the big story around Mo not travelling, so you couldn't get away from it. It was the biggest story in town for seven to ten days. I wouldn't take anything back."

When questioned whether calling it a 'disgrace' was excessive, he responded: "It was a disgrace."

He continued: "I don't mind someone having a different view, but you've got to back it up. People say [Ibrahima] Konate's not playing well, he's played every game - they haven't got another centre-back. So that's not a debate.

View 2 Images

"You could say [Ryan] Gravenberch, they haven't got another holding midfielder. [Cody] Gakpo's been dropped, [Hugo] Ekitike's been out, [Alexander] Isak's been in and out, [Alexis] MacAllister has been in and out, and the full-backs have changed. Everybody in that team hasn't been playing well, besides [Dominik] Szoboszlai."

Even as Gary Neville tried to make the case for why Salah ought to have been brought on at Elland Road, Carragher remained resolute in his position. "These types of players who have these big egos, I get that [talking out]. But that's probably why it's taken so long to take him out.

"Earlier in the season, he was coming off in Europe; that was him getting rested. This was leaving him out. We always talk about a manager should never criticise his players in public. Can you imagine if Slot had said about Salah after the Leeds game, 'he's been awful all season, he doesn't get back, he doesn't score goals'? We would have gone, 'oh my god you can't say this, you can't say that'.

"But on the other hand, there's people defending the interview? If this was someone else, saying it about Salah, there would be uproar and rightly so. You can't say that. If this is someone who speaks to the media a lot and he's always in there, he doesn't speak to them. So when he does speak, he knows exactly what he's saying, he's clever."