Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher admits he was “flabbergasted” to see Arne Slot leave out Mohamed Salah against Paris Saint-Germain.
It feels as though Slot and Salah’s relationship has gone beyond the point of repair, especially after Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat at home to PSG in the Champions League.
The Egyptian King was left on the substitutes’ bench at Anfield, with Alexander Isak preferred in attack for a huge game, despite not starting since December.
Speaking Amazon Prime, Carragher couldn’t hide his shock at Salah not starting, especially after a good performance at home to Fulham last weekend.
“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,” Carragher said.
“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 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.”
Tonight marked Mo Salah’s final appearance in the Champions League for Liverpool.
It’s not the ending any of us would have wanted, but he’ll go down as our top scorer in the history of the competition.
An all time great. Thank you, Mo ?? pic.twitter.com/q3F7QntwwX
— Anfield Edition | æ (@AnfieldEdition) April 14, 2026
Another baffling decision as Arne Slot surely nears Liverpool exit
This felt like such a poor call by Slot, complicating things just when Salah had found some form against Fulham. Not starting Rio Ngumoha as well made it even worse.
To throw Isak in against the European champions was unfair on him, and changing Liverpool’s shape again made everything more complex.
Alexis Mac Allister was deployed as a No. 10, rather than Florian Wirtz, with the German never likely to have the desired impact in a left-sided role.
This has been a season full of poor decisions by Slot, both tactically and in terms of personnel, and a change is needed in the dugout.
He will always be appreciated for what he did last season, but this simply isn’t good enough and the Dutchman isn’t the right man to take Liverpool forward.