Mohamed Salah’s benching has sparked a storm at Liverpool, with Jamie Carragher’s critique drawing fierce backlash.
Mohamed Salah’s turbulent spell at Liverpool has escalated into a public war of words, with former Aston Villa defender Ahmed Elmohamady launching a scathing attack on Jamie Carragher. The fallout follows Salah’s explosive claim that the club has “thrown him under the bus” after being benched during the 3‑3 draw with Leeds.
Carragher responded with an eight‑minute tirade, accusing Salah of prioritising himself over the team and citing his struggles at Chelsea and Egypt’s limited international success as evidence that football is not about individuals. The remarks provoked outrage among Salah’s supporters, with Elmohamady branding Carragher a “disgrace” and defending his compatriot’s achievements.
Elmohamady, who played alongside Salah for nearly a decade with Egypt, insisted the forward had rebuilt his career after leaving Chelsea, becoming a Premier League legend and Egypt’s greatest player. He highlighted Salah’s role in qualifying Egypt for two World Cups and dismissed Carragher’s claims as disrespectful. Elmohamady further mocked Carragher’s reputation, recalling incidents where Cristiano Ronaldo ignored him, Lionel Messi criticised him, and José Mourinho labelled him “below average.”
Amid the backlash, Carragher softened his stance during CBS Sports coverage, offering Salah an apology. “Mo, I apologise I’ve upset you,” he said, while still urging the forward to behave better off the pitch. His conciliatory tone contrasted sharply with his earlier comments, when he accused Salah of deliberately undermining manager Arne Slot after Liverpool’s poor run of results.
Carragher argued Salah’s decision to speak out came at a damaging time, suggesting it was an attempt to strengthen his position and possibly destabilise Slot. He maintained that while Salah remains a Liverpool legend on the pitch, his off‑field actions risk harming the club during its worst run since the 1950s.
Salah, in his own statement, expressed disbelief at being benched for the third time, claiming broken promises from the club and a deteriorating relationship with Slot. He suggested someone within Liverpool was pushing for his departure. His frustration was underscored by images he shared of himself training alone, while the team travelled to Milan for Champions League duty.
Slot, speaking after Liverpool’s European win, hinted at possible reconciliation but questioned whether Salah recognised his own mistakes. He left open whether the initiative should come from himself or the player. Club captain Virgil van Dijk confirmed he intends to speak with Salah, stressing their friendship and the need to keep discussions private.
Van Dijk acknowledged Salah’s imminent departure for international duty in Africa and urged the squad to remain united against external noise. The situation remains unresolved, with Salah’s future at Liverpool clouded by tension between player, manager, and pundits.