Arne Slot made a bold call against PSG, deciding not to start Mohamed Salah and go with Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak instead.
That decision came as a surprise. Salah was benched against PSG in the first leg, which was accepted as a tactical decision as Liverpool looked to shore up defensively. It was thought he would get the nod for the return leg at Anfield, though.
Instead, Slot went with the two number nines to chase down a two-goal margin. That decision attracted criticism from Jamie Carragher, who can’t get his head around the call.
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Jamie Carragher disagrees with Arne Slot over Mo Salah snub
Carragher rinsed Liverpool after losing to PSG in the first leg, calling out what was an admittedly toothless display.
Heading into the home fixture, the hope was renewed after a positive weekend performance that offered plenty of encouragement, but the former Liverpool defender was back to giving out when he saw the teamsheet.
After seeing Salah’s omission, Carragher said on CBS: “I can’t believe it. I can’t understand why. I mean, the manager might have his reasons but Isak is nowhere near fit.
“Mo Salah didn’t play in the first leg like some of the other players. He played in the Premier League, he scored a goal, he’s still probably Liverpool’s best goalscorer. He’s used to this system, you know, Isak has never really played with Ekitike before.
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“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’. I don’t think Arne Slot would, but is it because he announced he’s leaving?
“But even that doesn’t make sense because it’s about the here and now. I’m flabbergasted.”
Salah needed dropping from the Liverpool XI after some woeful displays, but the goal against Fulham had Carragher — and many fans — expecting him back in the lineup for this clash.
Slot elected to go a different way.
As it turned out, Ekitike had to make way after 30 minutes with an injury, and Salah took his place. Still, it shows where the Liverpool manager’s head is at heading into the business end of the season.
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