Liverpool continue to struggle in the league, but star player Mohamed Salah is on duty at AFCON.
Salah has recently been the subject of an intense, and many would say borderline xenophobic, witch-hunt in England, but he put on an incredible masterclass to book Egypt’s place in the AFCON quarter-finals.
Salah’s overwhelming success on the international stage is not just about his amazing performances. It is a direct response to the narrative spun by pundits such as Jamie Carragher, who has scapegoated the Egyptian King for Liverpool’s collective failures this season.
Egypt advances to quarterfinals thanks to Mo Salah’s performance
Away from the toxic atmosphere that has enveloped Liverpool’s season, Salah reflected on his arrogant best.
In the decisive knockout, he won the match by the scruff of his neck, scoring the third goal with a brilliant tripe from outside the box to drag Egypt over the line and into the last eight.
It was a five-star performance from the Egyptian king, who proved to be a constant threat throughout the match.
| status | value |
|---|---|
| Play time (minutes) | 120 |
| the goal | 1 |
| key pass | 3 |
| A big opportunity has arisen | 1 |
| dribbling success | 5/6 |
| tackle win | 2/2 |
| Duel victory | 11/20 |
| collect | 6 |
Although his energy, creativity, and leadership were on display, British critics argued that these qualities had deserted him.
Liverpool’s attack looked toothless and disjointed under Slott’s strict tactical set-up, but Salah’s freedom in the Egypt shirt was a stark reminder that world-class talent is the least of Liverpool’s problems this season.
Liverpool fans react on social media
The reaction from Liverpool fans on social media was explosive, with the main emotion being fierce revenge against their star player.
There was a huge backlash from the British media after Salah made comments after the game against Leeds that he felt he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club.
Jamie Carragher, in particular, launched several personal attacks and bizarrely blamed Salah for Liverpool’s defensive weaknesses and his own slow goal tally.
Fans were quick to point out that Salah’s form for Egypt proves the problem is with Arne Slott’s system, not the player.
Social media was full of Liverpool fans directing Salah’s performance to his biggest critic, Jamie Carragher. One person wrote:
“Jamie Carragher has been saying for weeks that Salah is the problem, he’s not going back, it’s over. Mo just dropped a 10/10 masterclass in the knockout game. Carragher’s agenda has been exposed. It’s a total slap in the face for his ridiculous comments about him not stepping up to the Egypt squad.”
The prevailing view among Anfield fans is that Salah has been made a convenient scapegoat for Slott’s tactical failures.
“It’s amazing what happens when Mo plays in a team that isn’t set up to fail. He’s shining for Egypt while Slott has Liverpool playing relegation football. The media witch hunt has had enough, but now his football is the talk of the town.”
Fans were also furious at how quickly the club legend was brought into the spotlight by some sections of the media after the controversial interview.
“He has carried this club for many years. The moment you speak out against being made a scapegoat, you are attacked with nonsense that borders on xenophobia. This AFCON performance was exactly what they deserved. Hats off to his name.”
Liverpool would be making a mistake if they get rid of Salah.
The stark contrast between Salah’s energetic performances for Egypt and his detached appearance in Slott’s Liverpool side has given supporters serious fears that the club will side with the manager over the legend.
Salah has already hinted that the game against Brighton could be his last for the club, with the club potentially selling him in January.
Although the air appeared to have been cleared between him and the manager ahead of his departure for AFCON, uncertainty remains over his future.
There is a widespread view that it is the manager’s fault that Slott is not able to demonstrate his full potential as a frontline player, but Salah is bearing the brunt of the blame. His performance at AFCON debunked the myth that his power is declining.
If FSG allowed their beleaguered manager to push out arguably the best winger in Premier League history to save his life, the backlash from the terraces would be unprecedented.
Salah has proven that he is still an elite player. The question fans are asking is why can’t Arne Slot see it?
