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Paul Merson has launched a passionate defense of Mohamed Salah, suggesting that the winger did nothing wrong in his explosive outburst against Liverpool.
Salah’s future at Anfield looks to be in serious doubt after he took aim at the club last weekend, accusing it of “throwing him under the bus” and suggesting that someone was trying to drive him out, while claiming his relationship with head coach Arne Slot had broken down.
The 33-year-old also hinted that this weekend’s game against Brighton could be his final appearance for the club, although having been left out of the squad for the midweek trip to Inter Milan, there are questions over whether he will brought back into the squad.
Salah’s comments have garnered plenty of reaction from pundits, with lots of them slamming the Egypt international, including Jamie Carragher who called them a “disgrace”.
Former Arsenal star Merson though takes a completely different view, and insists Salah was within his rights to air his grievances after being named on the bench for three games in a row.
“I’m on Mo Salah’s side. I think he’s got too much stick,” Merson said on Sky Sports News.
“First, people go ‘should he have done what he done?’, and maybe he shouldn’t have done what he done, but he’s a human being to start with.
“He’s a winner, you know, this man’s a top player. I think legend’s used very loosely in football, I really do. He’s a legend.
“The figures he’s put up on the wing, scoring goals and assists, is off the charts. We’ll never see that again in my opinion.
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“All he’s come out and said is he wants to play football, he’s got the hump because he’s not playing. How could you be slaughtered for that?
“I mean, I see people, I sat on here at the start of the season, deadline day, and there were players refusing to play for their clubs, and this lad is getting absolutely slaughtered.
“There’s other players in the team that could’ve got dropped, and he’s probably sitting there thinking ‘wait there a minute, we’re not very good and I’m not playing, why’s he playing and he’s playing and he’s playing?’
“I just think it’s wrong, and Liverpool wouldn’t have won anything if it wasn’t for Mo Salah, in my opinion. You take away Mo Salah’s goals and his assists, I don’t think there’s any trophies in that cabinet for a while.”
It’s not yet clear whether Salah will return for Liverpool against Brighton this weekend, although reports have suggested that Liverpool has no plans on the game being used as a farewell for him.
Salah is due to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations following Saturday’s game. The tournament runs until January 18, meaning he could potentially secure a transfer away from Anfield before he’s due to return to Merseyside.
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