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Former Liverpool attacker John Aldridge has said that Mohamed Salah “owes it to himself” to return from the Africa Cup of Nations and help the Reds push on in the second half of the season.
Both Liverpool and Salah have struggled to replicate the highs of last term, with the team languishing in seventh, while the star player has managed just two Premier League goals from open play in the last four months.
The disgruntled Egyptian expressed his frustrations about a lack of play time in that bombshell interview after the recent draw at Leeds United, before returning to the team for the weekend win over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Salah, who departed for the Africa Cup of Nations this week, undertook a lap of honor after Saturday’s game, which some have speculated was a farewell to Anfield. He’s certainly not short of interest from Saudi Arabia, anyway.
But Aldridge, who can relate to leaving Liverpool for a move abroad, said Salah should return from the tournament in Morocco and ensure his legacy at the club doesn’t end on a “sour note”.
“Mo looked hungry when he came on as well in that 2-0 win over Brighton,” the ex-Republic of Ireland striker wrote in his Liverpool Echo column. “He got an assist for Hugo Ekitike, could have had another one on a plate for Alexis Mac Allister, and put it over the bar from a great ball by Federico Chiesa late on.
“It was the sort of busy afternoon from Salah that we haven't seen too often and I'd ask why did it take for that interview at Leeds to seemingly spark it all into life?
“Where has that determination been in recent weeks? To only spring into action after the furore at Elland Road is not right.
“It's not been a vintage season from Salah and he is on course to score his lowest ever tally in a season at Liverpool in what is his ninth campaign now, should he complete it, of course. At times, Mo has almost disappeared in games.
“But Saturday was much more like the old Mo we know and love and the last thing he will have wanted will have been to have left for the AFCON and possibly for good with a whimper.
“Salah has been one of the greatest this football club has ever seen and whatever happens now will happen but, for me, he owes it to himself to come back to Anfield after AFCON with Egypt and make sure he helps with the push in the second half of the season.
“The send-off he got on Saturday after the game was nice to see from the fans, who don't want to pick sides in this one, but generally, if his Anfield career does end now, it will be such a sour note to say goodbye on.
“If he leaves, then at least he left with the fans singing for him, but that just can't be it where Mo Salah's association with Liverpool FC goes, surely?”
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