Jamie Carragher has come to the defense of Mohamed Salah following his performance in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United. The Liverpool legend believes that while the current attacking roster is good, it’s not great, and insists the Reds need to bring in two first-team attacking players to support the Egyptian star.
He acknowledged Salah’s tough week, which included a challenging game against Paris Saint-Germain, but stressed that Sunday’s match highlighted the necessity for Liverpool to bolster its attack, especially with Salah potentially leaving on a free transfer in the summer.
Arne Slot’s hopes for an early trophy in England were dashed as his team was outclassed by the Magpies at Wembley. Federico Chiesa’s late goal was merely a consolation in a match where Liverpool’s grip on the League Cup slipped away meekly, with Eddie Howe’s side laying bare the vulnerabilities of the Anfield outfit.
Carragher didn’t mince words about the final, expressing his disappointment. “I find it difficult to be too critical of the team,” he said. “I have to say it’s one of the worst performances I’ve ever seen in a cup final probably going back for a very long time.”
Despite the setback, Carragher pointed out Liverpool’s impressive league run this season, which has defied expectations. However, he also noted that recent games have cast a spotlight on the areas where Liverpool must improve.
“The lack of pace is glaring in the attack,” he said. “I almost feel sorry for Mo Salah because he was criticized after the two PSG games, he is possibly the best left-back in the world in Nuno Mendes, who is fantastic.
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“He didn’t do much today. But he doesn’t get help off the other attackers; it’s not like what it was under Jurgen Klopp where Sadio Mane would bail him out, or Roberto Firmino.
“The other attackers that Liverpool have got are good players, not great players. They relied on him. I saw a lot of criticism over the last week but what it shone a light on is Liverpool need to sign two attackers — not squad players — possibly to play alongside Mo Salah hopefully for next season.
“Liverpool look like they’re going to win the league. But there’s lots of areas to improve on — and I think they will in the summer.”
Liverpool.com says: Luis Diaz has had a decent season and Cody Gakpo has too. Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez, though, have struggled for various reasons and Federico Chiesa hasn’t really had many chances. There are some big decisions to be made in attack come the summer, with Salah — the only nailed-on world-class option — still in need of a new contract.
