Real Madrid vs Man City-composed

Managers Xabi Alonso Xabi Alonso Manager Pep Guardiola Pep Guardiola Manager Substitutions Fran González 26Fran González Andriy Lunin 13Andriy Lunin Fran García 20Fran García Joan Martínez 36Joan Martínez Víctor Valdepeñas 40Víctor Valdepeñas Arda Güler 15Arda Güler Brahim Díaz 21Brahim Díaz Franco Mastantuono 30Franco Mastantuono Jorge Cestero 28Jorge Cestero Endrick 9Endrick Kylian Mbappé 10Kylian Mbappé James Trafford 1James Trafford Marcus Bettinelli 13Marcus Bettinelli Nathan Aké 6Nathan Aké Abdukodir Khusanov 45Abdukodir Khusanov Rico Lewis 82Rico Lewis Tijjani Reijnders 4Tijjani Reijnders Rayan Aït-Nouri 21Rayan Aït-Nouri Savinho 26Savinho Oscar Bobb 52Oscar Bobb Omar Marmoush 7Omar Marmoush Injuries and suspensions Éder Militão Éder Militão Out Dean Huijsen Dean Huijsen Out David Alaba David Alaba Out Daniel Carvajal Daniel Carvajal Out Ferland Mendy Ferland Mendy Out Trent Alexander-Arnold Trent Alexander-Arnold Out Eduardo Camavinga Eduardo Camavinga Out Mateo Kovačić Mateo Kovačić Out Rodri Rodri Out

Man City transfer news, rumours and gossip: Live updates and latest on deals, signings, loans and contracts

Haaland: Man City suffered from mentality shift in poor season Appearing on The Rest Is Football podcast, Erling Haaland has suggested that Manchester City's dramatic drop-off last season was in part down to a "different mentality", having won the Premier League four times in a row prior to finishing third. Pep Guardiola's side ended the 2024/25 campaign 13 points shy of champions Liverpool, their worst total points total for over a decade. Haaland said that previous success to such a level is "difficult to maintain", hinting that complacency may have had a part to play. “It’s injuries, first of all," the 100-goal striker said. "I don’t want to blame injuries and I’m not doing it. I’m just saying it was a part of it. "I think it’s just so difficult to maintain and to keep it up after winning. There is something psychologically, if you haven’t won it for 25 years, compared if you’ve been winning it for the last four years, for example. "I think it’s just in our human nature to have a different kind of mentality of it. And it’s so difficult to maintain and to keep it up after doing something great, even though there’s nothing better. "When we win the treble, to be able to win four in a row, this was incredible. This was amazing. And it will be spoken about for the next 100 years because I don’t think anyone will do it.”

Barcelona to limit ticket sales for Frankfurt clash after 2022 fiasco

Barcelona will limit ticket sales for next week's Champions League game against Eintracht Frankfurt to members only to avoid a repeat of when the German club's supporters flooded Spotify Camp Nou in 2022. Over 30,000 Frankfurt fans managed to get into Barça's stadium for the Europa League tie, creating a sea of white shirts as the Bundesliga side secured a famous victory on their way to winning the trophy. The two teams meet for the first time since then next Tuesday, with Barça taking the decision to restrict ticket sales leading up to the game. "This decision has been taken to safeguard the safety of Barça supporters and to prevent a repeat of the situation experienced in April 2022, when the majority of spectators in the stadium were not supporters of the home team," the Catalan club said in a statement. "With this measure, the club grants absolute priority to its members, who are the backbone of the institution, and ensures that the stadium will be a space of celebration and exclusive support for Barça fans." Tens of thousands of Frankfurt fans filled the Camp Nou in 2022. Getty Barça president Joan Laporta also underscored the club's desire to avoid a repeat of what happened last time. "I don't want to have the feeling we had during that game in 2022," he said at an event on Thursday. "It's a horrific memory, the stadium full of opposition shirts." The match will be Barça's first in the Champions League back at Camp Nou since they returned to the stadium in November. - Lionel Messi exclusive: Argentina star talks World Cup, Inter Miami, more - Marcus Rashford stay at Barcelona? Deco: 'We have time...' Barça have spent the last two years playing at the Olympic Stadium while the arena is redeveloped, but have played their last three LaLiga games back home with a capped capacity of 45,000 as work continues on the rebuild. After losing to Chelsea last week, Frankfurt's visit is also important for Barça's Champions League hopes. Hansi Flick's side currently have seven points from five games, leaving them 18th in the standings, three points off the top eight and an automatic spot in the round of 16. Frankfurt, meanwhile, are also in desperate need of a win. They sit 28th with four points from their five games, two points short of the top 24 and a place in the knockout round in the New Year. Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyInterest-Based AdsEU Privacy RightsCookie PolicyManage Privacy Preferences © ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. Sadio Mane had 'no respect' from Senegal fans, despite Liverpool success, until he won AFCON play Liverpool manager Arne Slot has revealed that Mohamed Salah still has a "big future" at the club despite being on the bench in their 2-0 victory over West Ham. (0:37) Colin Udoh Dec 4, 2025, 01:44 AM ET Share LikeLike Open Extended Reactions LikeInteresting 109 Senegal striker Sadio Mané says despite his successes with Liverpool, winning the English Premier League title and UEFA Champions League, he had no respect from his countrymen until he won the Africa Cup of Nations. Mane scored the decisive penalty that helped Senegal defeat Egypt and claim their first ever African title in 2022, and he told Rio Ferdinand in an interview that it was a huge weight off his shoulders. "When I was young, Senegal never won the African Cup," Mane said in an interview with the former Manchester United and England defender. "That was the mentality of everybody in Senegal: 'Senegal will never win anything because they go close, they don't win.'" Editor's Picks Can South Africa win AFCON? Probably not... But they won't be far off 7dLeonard Solms Why has André Onana been dropped for AFCON? Who's in goal for Cameroon? 7dShubi Arun Man United, Premier League rivals benefit from AFCON release delay 6dESPN Before their eventual triumph, Senegal had chased the continent's top football crown for 60 years without success. The closest they came was in 2019 and 2002 when they were losing finalists to Algeria and Cameroon respectively. Even when they hosted the tournament in 1992, they failed to get past the quarterfinals. Despite a gradual rise following their World Cup qualification in 2002, Mane added that those failures, especially the near misses in the two Finals, had left the country scarred. Mane said he refused to accept such a defeatist attitude, even before he became a professional football player, and was inspired instead, to be an African champion. Speaking of his younger self, Mane added: "The time I say, when I become a football player, I will win the African Cup. "That was something on me, but I don't know how. And I said, I'm not even a football player, but I think like this, that I will win something." Sadio Mane led Senegal to the AFCON title in 2022, and their stability makes them one of the favourites again. Joao Rico/DeFodi Images via Getty Images That determination put pressure on him, especially from fans expectations to deliver, pressure which sometimes affected his game: "Before I won the African Cup, sometimes I play bad because of this. "Because of pressure. Especially of myself. I remember when we went to 2021 African Cup [played in Jan/Feb 2022], I never slept in the night more than five hours. "And then, that time, I had the biggest problem because I was at Liverpool. And the people in Senegal were expecting, they were talking too much about, 'You only playing good in Liverpool, you play bad in Senegal.' "I didn't have no respect, I can say. I won Premier League, I won Champions League, but nothing in Senegal. So all this on your shoulder, it's not easy." Mane, who now plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, added that the pressure of playing in Africa was heightened by real world consequences of failure, where fans could express their unhappiness in less than ideal ways. He said: " In national teams in Europe, it's OK. But Africa is different. They can burn your house for nothing. Because for them, they don't have big clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, they don't have this. They only have their national team. "I think people in Europe love the national team, but they love clubs more. But Senegal is the opposite. That's why it's big pressure. So for me, I just had to win that." Sadio Mane was beloved by Liverpool fans, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, and Club World Cup. He departed for Bayern Munich in 2022, and then to Al Nassr in 2023. Jan Kruger/Getty Images All of that pressure was released with victory in 2021/2. President Macky Sall declared the Monday after the final a public holiday, cancelling the last leg of a diplomatic trip in order to greet the team at the presidential palace in Dakar after they returned from Cameroon. Sall was just as excited as the regular Teranga Lions fan, congratulated the team in a tweet, that read: "What a game! What a team! You did it. Beautiful moment of football, beautiful moment of communion and national pride. Congratulations to our heroes!" Scoring the decisive penalty elevated Mane to even more legendary status than he already enjoyed among his compatriots, especially after he had missed one early in the game during regulation time. He added: "To win the African Cup, the pressure for me is over. It's a privilege to be recognised and also be a role model for kids, especially in your country. "It's just amazing when you're passing on the street, you are in the car or you are somewhere, you see your name on the back -- Mané, Mané, Mané -- everywhere you go. "I think this is something which just gives you extra motivation to be the role model. That's why I'm always trying to be this kind of person for those kids." While Senegal gear up to add a second crown when they travel to Morocco later this month, Mane will once again be at the forefront of that chase. But there is a different sort of contribution he has been making in his home town of Bambali. The forward is renowned for his charity work, helping to fund the construction of a hospital, school, stadium, petrol station and post office over the years, as well as financing the provision of internet services, donating money to the government for COVID relief, providing scholarships and stipends to families. The striker said it is borne from his own personal experience: "Being just a football player, for me, it's just not enough. I want to be a very, very big impact in my society. In the pitch and out of the pitch. "Maybe if you came from this, you will do the same because you will know these people condition, how they live, the struggle. That was my case, to give back to those people."

Alisson says Liverpool dropping Mohamed Salah a 'consequence'

Alisson says Liverpool dropping Mohamed Salah a 'consequence' play Beth Lindop Dec 8, 2025, 03:40 PM ET Share LikeLike Open Extended Reactions LikeWow 62 MILAN -- Alisson Becker said the Liverpool squad still believe in head coach Arne Slot despite Mohamed Salah saying his relationship with the Dutchman has broken down. Salah has not been included in Liverpool's squad for their Champions League match against Internazionale on Tuesday after venting his frustrations at having been left on the bench for the duration of Liverpool's Premier League draw with Leeds United on Saturday night. - Mohamed Salah: How did Liverpool get here? How does he compare to last season? - What we know so far about Mohamed Salah's Liverpool future - Salah 'destroying legacy, disrespectful' to Liverpool - Rooney Salah's longtime teammate Alisson called the decision to drop the Egyptian for the game against Inter a "consequence" of his actions. "It is not an easy situation, but as a group we take as best as we can take," Alisson told reporters Monday. "We have the personal relationship with him, I have been playing with Mo since I came to Europe, one year in Roma, eight with Liverpool. He is a great guy, great character and a legend with Liverpool FC. It is not something that makes me happy. But we have in football not too much time to stay moaning about any situation. "We have a big challenge tomorrow, a big team to play against. Inter has been doing so well this season, so my focus and the focus of the team is on the challenge we are going to face tomorrow. "[Salah] not being available is just a consequence of what he did and he is smart enough to know that. I didn't speak to Mo about that. We have a good relationship. It is not just a teammate, we spend so much time together, we don't spend much time away from the training ground. We are good friends. We share good moments, happy moments so that creates a bond. We will have a conversation but that is personal." Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson reacts after conceding a late goal in a draw with Leeds on Saturday. Getty Images Asked whether he thinks Salah will play for Liverpool again, Alisson said: "I don't think anything, but I hope he plays again for the club. That's a personal situation between Mo and the club. We as his teammates and his friends, we hope the best thing happens for him, but as Liverpool FC players we want the best for the club as well. We want a win-win situation for everyone." Liverpool have won just four of their last 15 games in all competitions, with the Reds in need of a result against Inter to boost their hopes of automatically qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages. Asked whether the Liverpool dressing room are still behind Slot, Alisson said: "Of course, yeah. I think [winning] the Premier League last season, before Arne came in everyone talks about the huge challenge being a substitute for Jurgen Klopp. "Now it looks like everyone takes for granted what we achieved in the last season. It should not be taken for granted. That should be enough, but we believe in his knowledge. We believe in his style of play and that he is capable of helping us to turn around this situation. I believe this is not only about ourselves, but that is the situation with the club as well."

Once his mentor, could Guardiola spell Xabi Alonso's end in Madrid?

Once his mentor, could Guardiola spell Xabi Alonso's end in Madrid? play Graham Hunter Dec 9, 2025, 02:44 AM ET Share LikeLike Open Extended Reactions Like 9 Soon after Pep Guardiola tempted Xabi Alonso away from Real Madrid to instal him as Bayern Munich's midfield general in August 2014, the Catalan coach admitted that "if I can help a player of mine become a coach, by adding something to his development, I'll be happy. Johan Cruyff and others did that for me, and now it's my obligation to pay it forward." So it was Alonso who studied, learned and duly ripped up the history books at Bayer Leverkusen, then landing where he is now: the obvious choice to take over from Carlo Ancelotti at the Bernabeu, but also a man whose job security is diminishing by the weekend. Madrid's under-pressure manager recently told the Coaches' Voice that when working for Guardiola at Bayern, "I was 32, I already had a lot of career under my belt, but in two or three years, I learned so, so much." Making the first-ever reunion between master and pupil, billed as Pep vs. Xabi, bittersweet in that it comes this week, when the perpetual winners of the UEFA Champions League are shuddering at the menace that Manchester City bring just as everyone at Madrid -- Alonso especially -- is up to their necks in problems. If there's a worse imaginable preparation for facing City in a big Champions League match than winning once in five domestic matches, shipping three daft goals to lowly Olympiacos last time out in this competition, slumping apathetically to defeat against Celta Vigo on Sunday, showing total physical and mental indiscipline in the three red cards Madrid incurred during that defeat, losing Éder Militão to yet another long spell on the sidelines with a muscle injury and watching Barcelona turn a five-point deficit into a four-point lead atop the LaLiga table in the space of five matches, then I'd love to know what it is. There will be time enough, and sufficient surrounding noise, to work out the odds of Alonso lasting much longer if another damaging result comes along on Wednesday. Editor's Picks Source: Madrid board discuss Xabi Alonso future 3hRodrigo Fáez Man City have a history of overtaking Arsenal; can the Gunners hold their nerve? 23hMark Ogden 2026 World Cup predictions: Group-by-group takeaways, must-see games 3dESPN I don't see the need to add much to the incessant, unpleasant speculation about Alonso's job security and the very lukewarm brand of football his team is producing. Except that, for the record, if I were club president Florentino Pérez, I'd stick by Alonso, reinforce his position, support his squad remodeling and assess things after two seasons But, as Alonso said the last time he was asked on the subject, "I know where I am." Meaning, he is at a club with a president who has little patience for the idea of ... patience; who treats anything other than domination of Spain and Europe as something of a personal humiliation; and who not only believes, but usually proves his point, that changing coach after a few months can be a solution -- not a symptom of the problem. During Pérez's reign alone, he's had 10 coaches who lasted between three months and a year. None of this is to say that City, even under a genius like Guardiola -- a guy who admires, likes and mentored Alonso -- will automatically come and put the 43-year-old Basque on the precipice of being replaced. Los Blancos usually treat City like unwelcome arrivistes when they come to Spain's capital -- lots of wins, only one home defeat ever and a habit of scoring three times against the Sky Blues. Sometimes in the most dramatic of circumstances. It's also a bit ironic that the last time Guardiola's team played Champions League football, a couple of weeks ago, they lost at home to the club Alonso transformed into trophy winners after decades of failure and frustration: Manchester City 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen was one of the shocks of the European season. So don't build up to this fixture thinking, It's an absolute given -- City will win. But there are some harsh facts that point you to that conclusion and, thus, to the idea that Alonso's current situation might be done fatal damage by the same guy who said in May: "Every single coach who ever had the marvelous pleasure of training Xabi as a player knew without any doubt that he'd become a coach." That's high praise from the high priest of player whispering. Xabi Alonso ended his playing career at Bayern Munich, where he began his coaching education under Pep Guardiola. CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images However, Madrid, right now, look disconnected, sloppy, overly reliant on Kylian Mbappé (they've only won twice in 21 matches when the Frenchman hasn't scored) and like a team of moments not a team of magic or momentum. They press poorly, they're debilitated by constant injuries, the Bernabéu pitch is a foe, not a friend, and if Thibaut Courtois has an off day then they're going to be easy meat. Even though this version of Guardiola's City is far from his most complete, most devastating or consistent, the truth is that Pep is brilliant at analyzing an opponent's weakness, producing exactly the right strategy to damage them and then drilling it in to the heads of his players that This is how we can win. Alonso, looking back at his time learning under Guardiola, told me when I interviewed him this earlier this season, "In terms of understanding the game -- understanding, explaining and anticipating it -- Pep was ahead of his time, and, in my opinion, he still is." One key phrase comes back to inform those of us who want to understand the dilemma that faces Alonso right now. As much as City are tough, hard-running, well-coached opponents, the fact remains that his own squad is under-performing and looks unconvinced as well as unconvincing. When Alonso was still playing for Guardiola at Bayern, en route to winning five trophies despite coming up short in this very competition, he said: "Pep dominates all aspects of football, but he doesn't impose his philosophy on his players -- he convinces them." What's crystal clear is that it has been Alonso, rather than his players, who has had to adapt and reconfigure ideas, even if temporarily, in Madrid. "Football today is really demanding; it's like a game of chess with lots of pieces, different boards and different contexts," he told me. "You have to try to make sure that your players share your vision. Because I could have a fantastic idea, but if the team doesn't embrace it, it's going to be very difficult for it to be effective." The enhanced ESPN App Watch your favorite events in the newly upgraded ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now From the outside, frankly, it looks as if there are some players who either can't come to terms with, or are unable to apply, their coach's philosophies. One final comparison with Guardiola is that when the Catalan took over at City in 2016, he was told, explicitly, that the club definitely would not be willing or able to satisfy the squad rebuild he was determined to impose as quickly as possible. City's executives and owners told him there would be at least a 12-month period when they would be ultra patient with him, the team's image, the trophy count, and results -- but he needed to be patient with them, too. Both sides stuck to their deal and, lo and behold, City have become a genuine seismic force in English and European football, that patience proven to be a virtue. No such culture exists at Madrid -- which, admittedly, partially helps explain their constant overachieving. Guardiola, one year into his coaching career, was able to show both Ronaldinho and Deco the exit because he was certain that his then club, Barcelona, would benefit and certain that his authority would be reinforced. However, no such conditions apply for Pep's former apprentice because Madrid, frankly, is unique. It's the president's club first and foremost, then the players'. The coach is always jostling with the fans and the media to ensure he's the third-most important force. There's a "B plot" here, of course, in that the world's two scoring behemoths, Mbappé and Erling Haaland, go head to head for only the fourth time, in what is now also an appetizer for the France-vs.-Norway group-stage fixture in next summer's FIFA World Cup. Mbappé craves emulating Haaland by winning this elite tournament for the first time. He will view Wednesday as an opportunity to lay down a marker. Alonso needs his guy, his chess piece, to produce a masterclass, to silence the white noise around the club, to buy him some elusive patience while Madrid find something approaching form, consistency and positive momentum.

Jamie Carragher slams Liverpool star Mohamed Salah as a 'disgrace' over outburst

Jamie Carragher slams Liverpool star Mohamed Salah as a 'disgrace' over outburst play ESPN Dec 9, 2025, 02:56 AM ET Share LikeLike Open Extended Reactions LikeLaughFire 202 Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has branded Mohamed Salah's outburst as "disgraceful" and "choreographed" in a scathing attack on the Liverpool star. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Salah vented his frustrations at having been left on the bench for the duration of Liverpool's clash at Elland Road. A match that Liverpool eventually drew 3-3 after a late Leeds equaliser. Salah singled out Carragher in the interview saying "tomorrow, [former player and now pundit Jamie] Carragher is going to criticize me but that's fine." On Tuesday, Liverpool confirmed that Salah was left out of Liverpool's squad for their Champions League match against Inter Milan on Tuesday. - Mohamed Salah: How did Liverpool get here? How does he compare to last season? - What we know so far about Mohamed Salah's Liverpool future- Salah 'destroying legacy, disrespectful' to Liverpool - Rooney Carragher, who made 737 appearances for Liverpool in a 17-year senior career, didn't hold back when asked about the current situation on Sky Sports' 'Monday Night Football'. "I thought it was a disgrace what he did after the game. Some people have painted it as an emotional outburst, I do not think it was," Carragher said. "I think whenever Salah stops in the mix zone, which he's done four times in eight years at Liverpool, it's choreographed between him and his agent to cause maximum damage and to strengthen his own position." Carragher, who made also defended his previous criticism of Salah, took particular issue over one remark. "The one line that stands out for me is 'thrown under the bus.' He's thrown the club under the bus twice in the last 12 months. With the manager right now, he should be doing as much as he can to help the club get out of the worst run they've had since the 1950s and he hasn't done that. "When we are talking about throwing people under the bus, he's thrown every Liverpool right-back under the bus for the 8 years. Can you imagine playing behind him for eight years? But we accept it because he's a superstar and he's scored 250 goals and he's given me as a Liverpool supporter some of the greatest nights of my life." In a further dig, Carragher also questioned Salah over his record with Egypt. "You weren't a big star before you came to Liverpool, you haven't really won much for Egypt, no matter how big you are, you need help from your teammates, your manager and fans, it's important that he remembers that," Carragher said. "When he talks after Leeds, it's all about me, me, me." Salah, who has just four goals in 13 Premier League appearances this season, trained with the first team at the AXA Training Centre on Monday morning however the club made the decision to leave him out of the travelling party for Tuesday night's match at the San Siro against Inter. Sources told ESPN the decision was taken in consultation with Slot and with the manager's full support. Everything Jamie Carragher said in eight-minute Mohamed Salah rant "I thought it was a disgrace what he did after the game. Some people have painted it as an emotional outburst, I don't think it was. "I think whenever Mo Salah stops in a mixed zone, which he's done four times in eight years at Liverpool, it's choreographed, with him and his agent to cause maximum damage and strengthen his own position. He did that 12 months ago -- and I called him out about it -- and he played on the heartstrings of Liverpool supporters. "Liverpool were on top of the league; he'd scored the winning goal at Southampton. That was the time to come out and put pressure on the Liverpool ownership, so for the rest of the season you have banners in the crowd -- 'Give Mo his dough.' "He's chose this weekend to do this now and he's waited, I think, for a bad result with Liverpool -- concede a last-minute goal... Everyone involved with the club feels like they're in the gutter at the moment, and he's chose that time to go for the manager, and maybe try and get him sacked. That's the way I felt about it. "The one line that stands out for me is 'thrown under the bus.' He's tried to throw the club under the bus twice in the last 12 months with the situations that I've just mentioned. "Going after the owners -- these are owners who have been paying him £100ks for six years -- and complained a year ago that they hadn't given him a contract at the age of 32. He is entitled to do that. "With the manager right now, he should be doing as much as he can to help the club get out of the worst run they've had since the 1950s and he hasn't done that. "When I've thought about it over the weekend, and I've put myself in Salah's position or how I was as a player -- I'm not Mo Salah. "Mo Salah is a world-renowned player, who is famous around the world, and should those players be treated differently? I think they should. "When you think of players in that bracket over the last eight years, I would say [Lionel] Messi, [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [Kylian] Mbappe. I wouldn't put Salah alongside them, but he is very close for what he's done for Liverpool, so a legendary figure. "All of those players get privilege, exactly the same one Mo Salah gets at Liverpool. He doesn't have to defend, he doesn't have to chase back, so that's the privilege he has with Liverpool. "But when you talk about throwing people under the bus, he's thrown the Liverpool right-back under the bus the last eight years. Can you imagine playing behind him for eight years? But we accept it because he's a superstar. "He's scored 250 goals, and he's given me, a Liverpool supporter, some of the greatest nights of my life watching him and what he's done. "When you think of the ego of these types of players, Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappe, Salah, I think they have a feeling that the success of a football club is down to them. "I have no problem with that, because I think that drives them on to get more goals and get more success, and it benefits Liverpool. "It then becomes a problem when you're in a situation like this. When Mo Salah's talking about how many goals he's scored, 'I've got more than anyone else in the Premier League,' he's always speaking about himself. "I'd remind Salah and maybe his agent that before he came to Liverpool he was known as the man who failed at Chelsea, that's just a fact. He'd never won a major trophy before he came to Liverpool. He's also the greatest player his country have ever had in Egypt. Egypt are the most successful country in the Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] and he's going there in a couple of weeks. "Salah's never won the AFCON. That's not me trying to put Mo Salah down as a player. I've just said he's one of the best players in the world over the last eight years, very few better. But, what it tells Salah and his agent is that it's not about an individual. "You weren't a big star before you came to Liverpool. You haven't really won anything with Egypt. All that tells you is that no matter how good a player you are, you need help from your teammates, your manager and fans. I think it's really important that he remembers that. When he's talking after the game, all it's about is me, me, me. "Have I ever criticised Mo Salah on the pitch? I don't class that [legs gone comment as criticism], that's something that happens for every player, I've never criticised him for not working back, I've never criticised him when he's gone for games without scoring, I've never criticised him when he hasn't passed to someone he should. He's an absolute legend, because what you get from him you have to put up with certain things. "Some of the criticism has been excessive, I've said that publicly, but I will go after Salah when he tries to throw my club under the bus off the pitch and just think about himself. "Let's understand Arne Slot, he's conceded 10 goals in three games, one of them against PSV, Salah was embarrassing in terms of the challenge that he puts in. "He then goes to West Ham away, Nuno [Espirito Santo] team, big on set-pieces. We need to keep a clean sheet, that's all he cares about. What's the one thing you're going to do as a manager? You take the one player out in your team you have allowed not to defend. "You play Sunderland at home, I'd have played him, but it's understandable that he keeps the same team. He brings him on at half-time. West Ham away and Leeds away, why would you bring him on when you're winning those games? You don't need a goal, you need not to concede. "So if you're bringing Salah on, you're bringing on a guy who can't defend set pieces and doesn't run back. "The one time I wanted to be really critical, and I held back, this season about Salah on the pitch. As I've said before, I've never been critical of him on the pitch. "He is a legend of the club, his legacy is there, if he doesn't score another goal or make another assist for this club, I don't care. He's been amazing. "Where he really let himself down, in my eyes, was this season in Frankfurt and in another game. "Where there's a guy who signed for Liverpool who needs a goal more than anyone, Florian Wirtz. Instead of being a great player for the club, be a great ambassador for the club and roll that ball to him for an easy tap-in and go over and give him a hug and say, 'You're the guy that's going to take this Liverpool team forward. I don't need anymore goals'. "I've seen [John] Barnes at the end, Ian Rush, Steven Gerrard, do you think they're the same players as they were in their pomp? Of course they weren't. "Do supporters think any differently of them now when they see them? They say no, you're in the top five or six players to ever play for Liverpool, and the same will be said of Salah. "So in terms of on the pitch, the one criticism I've got -- help the other players. Help Florian Wirtz, help [Alexander] Isak, don't be obsessed with your own numbers. "I think the club have made the right decision in terms of him not going abroad. Whether he will play for Liverpool again, I don't know. I hope he does, because he's one of the greatest players we've ever had. "But if you continue like that, and statements like that. If he doesn't play, who knows."