Former Liverpool captain Phil Thompson. (Photo by Anesh Debiky/ITM Group via Gallo Images/Getty Images)placeholder image
Former Liverpool captain Phil Thompson. (Photo by Anesh Debiky/ITM Group via Gallo Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Liverpool exited the Champions League after suffering a 4-0 aggregate loss to PSG in the quarter-finals.
Phil Thompson reckons that Mo Salah showed hunger for Liverpool success despite the surprise decision that he was dropped to the bench against Paris Saint-Germain.
The Reds exited the Champions League quarter-finals after a 4-0 aggregate loss to PSG. Salah was named among the substitutes for the 2-0 loss in the French capital and for the return leg at Anfield. But with Hugo Ekitike suffering an Achilles injury and being forced off on the half-hour mark, Salah was introduced earlier than expected.
The winger, who will leave Liverpool after nine years this summer, played the most balls into the box (12), had the highest expected assists (0.52), the second-most touches in the box (14), and created the third-most chances out of all the players for both sides over both encounters.
And former Liverpool assistant manager Thompson saluted the performance of Salah, as well as substitutes Joe Gomez and Cody Gakpo. Thompson also reckons that head coach Arne Slot was right to substitute Jeremie Frimpong at half-time.
Speaking on the Official Liverpool FC Podcast, Thompson said: “Mo really had a good game and the changes helped impact the second half, how good we were in that spell needing to score. Joe [Gomez] coming on, because I thought Jeremie lost a bit of confidence - I don’t know if he lost a bit of confidence.
“The worrying thing with Joe because he went back off, you’re thinking: ’Oh my goodness’ and you could see the doctor talking to him. But him and Cody [Gakpo], I thought, were good impact substitutes and made a difference at that time. Joe was aggressive, wanting to go forward with the ball and you’ve got to say the boss got that one right. Jeremie looked like the game was too big for him at that point.
“Most people think he probably should have started but his attitude when he came on was top-class. He wanted it, you could see he was rushing for the ball and I know they are only little things but when you’re doing that, you’re getting the crowd on board. Mo was hungry for it and that showed in his play. He looked as if he wanted that result more than anything. “
Frimpong has endured hamstring issues since his arrival from Bayer Leverkusen. Liverpool under-21s coach Jay Spearing is hoping that Frimpong has avoided another setback. Spearing said: “I’m hoping the Jerry one was more of a tactical change. I mean that as nice as possible to Jeremie that it was more tactical than an injury. Because to go and lose Jeremie and lose Gomez after he came on at half-time, you’re hoping you haven’t lost both of your right-backs.”
Continue Reading