Jamie Carragher blasts Arne Slot for benching Mohamed Salah against PSG

Jamie Carragher has blasted Arne Slot ’s decision to bench Mohamed Salah for a “nowhere near fit” Alexander Isak as Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain. Liverpool required another famous Anfield comeback to flip their quarter-final tie on its head after a dismal first leg in Paris but failed to come close in that regard, instead losing 2-0 on the night to PSG and 4-0 on aggregate. Slot opted to start the game with Isak, making his first start after four months injured, leading the line while Hugo Ekitike was on the right, chosen ahead of Salah, who will leave Liverpool at the end of the season.

Ekitike suffered a potentially season-ending injury on the half-hour mark which meant Salah did get onto the pitch earlier than expected, while Isak was replaced at half-time after an ineffective 45 minutes. Arne Slot (right) started Mohamed Salah on the bench against PSG (AP) Carragher was not under the impression that Slot’s decision to drop Salah related to any grudge he might hold after the tirade the Egyptian went on earlier in the season, but was still left baffled by the tactical choice. "The manager will have his reasons, but Isak is nowhere near fit,” Carragher told CBS Sports Golazo .

“Mohamed Salah didn’t play the first leg so he’s not like some of the players who played last week and then played at the weekend in the Premier League. “He played in the Premier League and scored a goal. He’s still one of Liverpool’s best goalscorers.

He’s used to this system. Isak’s never even played with Ekitike before. “I don’t think Arne Slot is the type of manager who would be thinking ‘I remember what you did to me a few months ago, calling me out publicly’.