Jamie Carragher has described Mohamed Salah as ‘daft’ for his mixed zone ‘fire’ comment after the Liverpool star’s touchline spat with manager Jurgen Klopp.
The Egyptian was dropped to the bench for Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at West Ham on Saturday and looked decidedly unhappy with Klopp when he was finally introduced in the 79th minute.
Salah waves his arms, pointed towards Klopp and continued to berate his manager before striker Darwin Nunez, also brought on at the same time, intervened to calm him down.
Afterwards, Salah told waiting reporters in the London Stadium mixed zone: ‘If I speak, there will be fire.’
Klopp insisted a line had already been drawn under the incident after a frustrating draw that further dented Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes.
Asked on TNT Sports if he would share the cause of the disagreement, Klopp said: ‘No. But we spoke already in the dressing room and for me, that’s done.’
Anfield legend Carragher, writing on X, gave his assessment of what happened.
‘Mo Salah and Jurgen Klopp are both LFC legends. We don’t need to take sides!
‘Salah is frustrated and angry with Jurgen that he’s not playing and at that moment didn’t want to fully embrace the boss, Jurgen understandably took exception.
‘Mo was daft with his comment in the moved [mixed] zone but let’s let them sort it out and enjoy the last few weeks together.
‘They’ve been a massive help to each other in all that’s been achieved at the club!’
Salah already looked annoyed during the pre-match warm-ups having been named among the substitutes and his temper boiled over when Klopp finally called on him.
Whatever Klopp said to Salah as he prepared to enter the action sparked an uncharacteristic response from Liverpool’s top goalscorer this season.
Salah started to wave his arms about, pointing to the pitch and then at retreating Klopp who’d turned his attentions back to the game.
It was an unusual show of anger amongst the Liverpool ranks with Klopp’s nine-year reign at the club having seen him build emotionally strong connections with his players on their way to Champions League and Premier League triumphs.
Salah in particular has enjoyed his career-best form under Klopp’s guidance since being brought to the club by the 56-year-old in 2017.
The superstar forward has scored 210 goals in 345 appearances for the Reds, writing himself into the club’s record books and recognised by Liverpool supporters as one of their greatest-ever players.
His existing contract has another year left to run but Salah has been linked with an exit this summer after previously being courted by Saudi Arabian clubs last year before staying at Liverpool.
Salah failed to make much of an impact when he stepped into the fray at the London Stadium and continued to fume at full-time as he walked straight down the tunnel and back to the dressing room.
The game ended all-square with Michail Antonio earning West Ham a point with a second-half header after Andy Robertson and an Alphonse Areola own goal had Liverpool in front.
It left Liverpool third in the table, two points behind leaders Arsenal having played a game more.
Alan Shearer, speaking on Match of the Day, came to the defence of Salah after the row.
‘We don’t know what Klopp has said to him there. He’s said something that’s riled him,’ the former England striker said.
‘He’s obviously got the right hump with being left out and probably rightly so, even though hasn’t hit the heights that Mo Salah has done over the years. He’s been an unbelievable player.
‘He ignores Jurgen [Klopp], he gives the Liverpool fans a little round of applause and goes straight down the tunnel.
‘But we’re guessing as to what Jurgen said to him. I understand that if Mo has the right hump because the amount of times he’s been Liverpool’s superstar and their saviour.
‘He’s got 17 goals in 25 league starts. Anyone else you’d look at that and think ‘unbelievable’. It’s a shame it’s going to end like that because of what Klopp’s done and what Salah’s done.’
