Liverpool suffered a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, and star player Mohamed Salah was called out by fans for ‘ghosting’ his teammates at Wembley Stadium.
Goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak handed Newcastle a dominant lead before Federico Chiesa handed Liverpool a late lifeline off the bench. It led to a frantic ending, but it was too late for Liverpool to stage a stunning comeback and Newcastle celebrated its first trophy since 1955.
Salah has established himself as one of the greatest players in Liverpool history since arriving from AS Roma in 2017, and currently sits third on the all-time scorers list at the club. Salah helped Liverpool end its 30-year wait for a Premier League title and added a sixth Champions League trophy to the cabinet, but failed to work his magic in a flat performance against Newcastle.
The Egyptian winger is also enjoying a stunning season with 32 goals and 22 assists in all competitions, but fans have lost patience with his surprising record in cup finals. Salah has never scored a goal from open play in a major final, and his dry streak continued on Sunday.
“Salah ghosting in a final…” one fan wrote on social media before several others questioned his big-game presence. “Mohamed Salah and Finals. We have to have a conversation,” another added.
“Mo Salah! Mo Salah! Ghosting down the wing!” another harshly said, mimicking his Liverpool chant. However, some defended Salah and highlighted that he can’t always be tasked with carrying the team.
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“We’ve got some bang average forwards who have been absolutely carried through this season by Mohamed Salah,” one fan wrote. “Salah may not have shone today but he’s the reason that Liverpool have enjoyed success in recent years,” another added.
Salah failed to register a single shot during the cup final, and touched the ball just 18 times in 90 minutes. Chiesa was Liverpool’s best forward on the day, despite only playing for 20 minutes after replacing Ryan Gravenberch.
It’s been a brutal week for Liverpool, which saw them eliminated from the Champions League on Tuesday night after losing at home to Paris Saint-Germain. Liverpool battled through extra time before losing via a penalty shootout, and Salah was seen with tears running down his face.
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The extra 30 minutes of action had a major impact on Sunday, as Liverpool lacked the energy needed to overcome Newcastle. Just weeks ago, Liverpool remained in all four competitions, but after being eliminated from the FA Cup and Champions League, Newcastle also ended their Carabao Cup dreams.
The Premier League title appears to be wrapped up, with Liverpool holding a 12-point lead over Arsenal in second. However, Arne Slot may look back on his first season as head coach with some regrets.
