Liverpool Champions League winner Dietmar Hamann has criticized Mohamed Salah's display against PSV Eindhoven, while offering his verdict on Arne Slot's position at the club.
The Reds suffered a 4-1 defeat at Anfield in their league phase encounter on Wednesday. Dominik Szoboszlai netted Liverpool's only goal, which had brought the home side back on level terms before the Reds shipped three second-half strikes to endure another loss.
The defeat to PSV means Liverpool have now been beaten by a three-goal margin in each of their previous three fixtures in all competitions, leaking 10 goals during that spell. Hamann offered his analysis of Liverpool's loss, with the former midfielder outlining why he anticipated Slot would make more alterations to his side.
Alexander Isak was relegated to the substitutes' bench with Hugo Ekitike spearheading the attack for Liverpool.
The sole other modification made by Slot saw Giorgi Mamardashvili deputise for Alisson Becker, who was unavailable due to illness.
Hamann detailed why he feels Salah ought to have been omitted from the squad for the PSV fixture, while also casting doubt over Slot's long-term prospects in the Anfield hot seat.
Mohamed Salah has struggled this season
Mohamed Salah has struggled this season (Image: Getty Images)
"I thought Salah might be one of the first one to be dropped," Hamann told RTE Sport.
"And then I said to myself, 'I'm not sure because he needs him.'
"Now he [Slot] has got a decision to make.
"Do you get the sack with Salah or do you keep your job without him?
"What Salah did for that second PSV goal, that was the time Slot had the chance to take him off straight away because what he did there was disgraceful.
"For a player of Salah's calibre it pains me to say that because he is the guy that has been carrying the team for the last seven or eight years.
"But what he did in letting the player, Mauro Junior, get past him, without doing anything to help the team."
Liverpool will try to get back to winning ways when it faces West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday.