Commentators laugh at Mohamed Salah moment vs Liverpool as forward's struggles continue

NBC Sports commentators had a laugh at Mohamed Salah's free kick attempt against Manchester City just minutes before Dominik Szobozlai scored one from further out

Mohamed Salah skied a free kick against Manchester City on Sunday(Image: Getty Images)

NBC Sports announcers Joe Speight and Lee Dixon (458 career appearances for Arsenal) couldn't control their reaction after Liverpool star Mohamed Salah blasted a 70-minute free kick into the Kop in the Reds' 2-1 loss to Manchester City.

Salah won a free-kick just outside the box after he was pulled down by a City defender Marc Guehi. With the ball on the right side of the 18-yard box, the left-footed Egyptian was tasked with taking the free-kick instead of the usual specialist, Dominik Szoboszlai.

Salah, who has never scored a free-kick for Liverpool, missed horribly. Both Speight and Dixon gave a chuckle, with Dixon joking: "I think I know what Salah is trying to do here."

Four minutes later, Szoboszlai knuckled in a deep free kick from much further out that snuck past the City wall to hit the post and bounce in.

Salah has never scored a Premier League or Serie A free-kick goal (he spent two seasons with Roma and one with Fiorentina before joining the Reds).

Salah has just six goals in all competitions this seaosn(Image: Getty Images)

The 33-year-old did score a lay-off against Qarabag in the Champions League this year, as Szoboszlai gently rolled the dead ball into Salah's path before he finished. He scored a free-kick for Egypt against Uganda in 2019.

Fans on X didn't react kindly to Salah's miss. "Possibly the worst free-kick I've ever seen in my life, hats off Salah," one wrote. "Salah free kick just landed in my nans back garden," another tweeted.

One fan referenced Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher's famous line. "That free kick from Salah sums him up," he said. "Leave the football before the football leaves you. I'm sorry, legend, Saudi is calling it's time."

Speaking on the Sky Sports broadcast, Gary Neville bemoaned Salah's performance. "He's still nowhere near his best," he remarked. "He's set that standard, and when he falls below it, it's obvious."

Salah is well off his previous standard. Last season, he recorded 34 goals and 23 assists across 52 appearances in all competitions, including a Premier League record for combined goals-assists in a single campaign.

This year, the 33-year-old has just six goals and six assists in 24 appearances. His season was derailed twice: first for his post-game comments after a draw against Leeds, where he questioned his lack of game time, and the second for his lengthy absence due to AFCON.