Gary Lineker reckons Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah will have been annoyed at Arne Slot for taking him off in their 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.
The Reds extended their losing streak to four in all competitions over the weekend with arch-rivals Man Utd beating them at Anfield on Sunday.
Bryan Mbeumo put the Red Devils into an early lead before Liverpool equalised through Cody Gakpo 12 minutes from time – but Harry Maguire stunned the home fans just six minutes later by scoring a header to give Ruben Amorim’s side all three points.
Man Utd rode their luck with Gakpo hitting the woodwork three times, while the Netherlands international missed a free header to equalise with minutes left of the match.
The Red Devils held on for their first back-t0-back wins in the Premier League since Amorim took charge at Old Trafford just under a year ago.
Speaking about the match in general, Lineker said on The Rest Is Football podcast: “That’s a big win for [Ruben] Amorim.
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“I think that’s his first time he’s had back-to-back Premier League victories which is an extraordinary statistic.
“Also, we have to say that Manchester United generally have been better against the bigger clubs. I know not generally at Anfield.
“Under Amorim and even prior to Amorim they became sort of better on the counter-attack.
“But for a club like Manchester United, you can’t ultimately be that because you’re going to play against teams with a low block and that’s where they have struggled.”
Slot took off Salah in the 85th minute against the Red Devils, despite the Egypt international’s goal threat, and Lineker reckons the forward would have been unhappy with the Dutchman.
On Slot’s decision to take Salah off, Lineker added: “It was interesting, almost a statement from Arne Slot, that he brought Mo Salah off.
“Trailing 2-1 when you need a goal. We know what Mo’s like, he can pop up.
“I know he missed a chance and he was very quiet in the game, but it was an interesting decision.
“It nearly paid off immediately because Frimpong went down, crossed the ball and Gakpo should have scored.
“But I just thought, ‘Hmm… Mo won’t like that’, you know Mo.”
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Salah has managed just two goals in eight Premier League matches this season and Lineker insists things aren’t dropping for the Liverpool star at the moment.
Lineker continued: “The interesting thing, speaking as a striker in my day, is that when things are not going for you… the ball dropped right between his feet [for the chance].
“He didn’t know whether to try and open himself up, hit it with the inside of his foot, or hit it with the outside of his foot.
“When things are going for you, when you’re in form, that would have dropped perfectly, three or four inches to the left, and he’d have just opened himself up and bent it into the top corner.
“It’s funny how those things happen.”
Fellow pundit Micah Richards gave his thoughts on the Salah substitution: “Yeah, but at the end of the day, the manager has got to do what is right for the team,’ the former Manchester City and England defender chimed in.
“No player is bigger than the team and Mo has been a team player.
“At the moment, he’s not the Mo that we’ve seen in previous years. Normally, he would have popped up with a goal.
“That chance that he hit with the outside of his foot, he normally just bends that into the far corner.
“I have no problem with the manager taking off Mo.”
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