Jamie Carragher thinks Salah should not start every match
Referencing: Jamie Carragher and Jamie Redknapp assess Florian Wirtz & Alexander Isak's start at Liverpool
Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports after Liverpool’s 1-2 loss to Manchester United:
I do think watching Mo Salah this season, and I absolutely love him. There’s a tactical setup with Mo Salah in that he doesn’t help Liverpool’s right back. I’m not criticizing him for being lazy, not getting back. We lorded Arne Slot for allowing Salah to have that role last season, and he probably hasn’t got the legs to get up and down like a conventional wide player. But if you’re not getting nothing going the other way, you’re obviously losing something that way, but you’re not gaining it going the other way.
And watching Mo Salah today, he never got found out, sort of defensively, because he doesn’t track back today, but he was off with the ball. He lost the ball a lot through the game, and that can happen with him even in his prime.
But what I would say with Mo Salah right now is I think we’re at the stage where I don’t think Mo Salah should be like a Virgil Van Djk, where it’s like first name on the team sheet.
So Liverpool have got two away games, one in the Champions League in Frankfurt, and they go to Brenford. I don’t think Mo should start both of those games. I said you should always be starting at Anfield because Liverpool are going to be on top, be around the edge of the box, and more often than not your scores in those situations today. But I do think with away games and helping your right fullback as well, I don’t think Mo Salah should be starting every game right now, certainly away from home with the form that he’s in.
Super telling statement because this is the player that won Liverpool the league. That’s not an exaggeration. 47 of Liverpool’s 150 goals last season in the Premier League were scored or assisted by Mohamed Salah.
He never was there to help the right back, rest will help him as he ages, but I think Salah is someone who needs to constantly be playing to maintain rhythm. He’s not a closer, he’s the starter.