Mohamed Salah was left on the Liverpool bench as manager Arne Slot turned to five other substitutes during his side's dispiriting 2-0 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool FC warms up
Mohamed Salah didn't play against Paris Saint-Germain(Image: Tnani Badreddine/Getty Images)
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Steven Gerrard praised Mohamed Salah's professionalism after witnessing his actions following Liverpool's defeat at Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night. The Reds were beaten 2-0 at the Parc des Princes as Salah was left on the bench by Arne Slot.
Goals from Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia gave dominant PSG a thoroughly deserved win on a night where Liverpool didn't muster a single shot on target. Slot changed his usual tactics to field a five-man defence, yet he was indebted to goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and the officials for keeping the score down.
Ibrahima Konate survived two potential penalty decisions, with a tackle from behind overturned by VAR on review and the second, a little push, deemed insufficient. It was a dispiriting night for Liverpool, who will have to overturn a two-goal deficit in the second leg at Anfield next week.
And it was particularly difficult for Salah, who was left on the bench as Slot turned to five other substitutes. The 33-year-old recently announced his exit at the end of the season and hit out at Slot back in December, having become hugely annoyed at his place on the sidelines.
But he was seen going through running drills on the pitch after the defeat before coming over to say hello to TNT Sports pundits Gerrard and Steve McManaman, as well as presenter Laura Woods.
Gerrard was then asked to put himself in Salah's shoes. "Frustrated because I think he'll be sitting there thinking 'I back myself to influence this game and improve proceedings', certainly from a going forward point of view," the Liverpool legend said.
"So I think he'll be a little bit sad and frustrated but credit to him, he's just stayed behind there and done extra running. Because if there wasn't a mid-week game, Wednesday would probably be your big session so in his mind he's already got his mind on Fulham and he's doing extra work, which shows the pro and the mentality that you're dealing with."
Steven Gerrard greeting Mo Salah
Mo Salah came to speak to the pundits post-match(Image: TNT Sports)
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Asked if Salah should start the second leg against PSG, McManaman replied: "Would I start him? I personally would. I don't know [Alexander] Isak's fitness - he's had 20 minutes tonight. I think he'll (Salah) play against Fulham. And depending on how that result goes, I would certainly play him."
Liverpool turn their attention to the Premier League on the weekend, with Slot's side facing Fulham at Anfield on Saturday evening. The Reds are without a win in their last three league games and sit fifth, five points adrift of Aston Villa in fourth.
Slot gave a gloomy assessment of his side's performance against PSG. "If you reflect on the whole game I think we are lucky with only losing 2-0," he told TNT Sports.
"The first goal felt hard. I think it was very good for us we are still in the tie, we can bring them to Anfield and we know how good Anfield can be for us."
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