The former Liverpool defender could not believe by Slot's team selection against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final second leg at Anfield
20:00, 14 Apr 2026Updated 20:26, 14 Apr 2026
(Image: CBS Sports)
Jamie Carragher was left baffled by Arne Slot's decision to drop Mohamed Salah and start Alexander Isak for the second leg of Liverpool's Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain.
The Dutch head coach made the shock choice to include Isak from the off for the first time in nearly four months. The ex-Newcastle man returned last week from an injury absence caused by a broke leg, and came off the bench in the away leg in Paris, and then again in the 2-0 win over Fulham.
Most anticipated Isak would be named on the bench, but Slot surprised PSG by selecting the striker in the line-up.
Meanwhile, Salah was dropped after his goalscoring exploits in the win over Fulham, with Rio Ngumoha also on the bench.
For a game of such magnitude, Carragher was dumbfounded by Slot's selection.
“I can't believe it, that he [Salah] is not playing. I can't understand why. The manager will have his reasons, but Isak is nowhere near fit," the ex-defender said on CBS' coverage.
“Mo Salah didn't play in the first leg, so he's not like some of the players who played last week and then played at the weekend in the Premier League.
"He played in the Premier League, he scored a goal, he's still one of Liverpool, probably Liverpool's best goalscorer. He's used to this system; Isak's never really played at with Ekitike before.
"Now I don't think Arne Slot's the type of manager who would almost be thinking: 'I remember what you did to me a few months ago when you called me out publicly.'
"Certain managers in the past, I can think of maybe Alex Ferguson... I don't think Arne Slot would, but is it because he's already announced he's leaving?
"And it's something like: 'I'm almost going with the players who are going to be here in the next year.'
"I don't know, it's the only thing I can think of, but even that doesn't make sense, because it's about the here and now, so I'm flabbergasted Mo Salah's not playing."
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Explaining his team selection, Slot told Amazon Prime before kick-off: "The thinking is that, as we all know, we need to score goals, and there are goals in these players. They are two target men, two players we can play into."