Gary Neville highlights alarming decline in Mo Salah’s game – ‘That’s surprising me’

Mo Salah’s poor run in front of goal continued on Sunday as Liverpool were beaten by Manchester United with Gary Neville citing concerning issues with his performance

Gary Neville admits he is surprised that Mo Salah’s technical ability – not his physical qualities – appear to be leaving him as he ages after the Liverpool frontman fired another blank on Sunday.

The Reds were stunned by Manchester United at Anfield, resigning them to a fourth loss on the bounce in all competitions. Salah has looked a shadow of the player he was last year, when he posted the second most prolific campaign of his career.

The Egyptian penned a new deal back in April as he showed no signs of slowing down despite turning 33 in the summer. His drop off has been sharp however and he’s only scored twice in eight Premier League outings this term.

Salah has always been praised for his dedication to his body, often sharing pictures of midnight recovery sessions, and Neville insists he could play for years based on his body, but his technical skills are evading him as he referenced a poor miss on Sunday.

He said on his podcast: “There are questions being asked about him, whether it’s his age, whether it’s one season too many. But the strange thing in watching Salah is usually a player getting towards the end of his career, what you notice is the physical decline.

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“I’m not seeing a physical decline – some of his sprints look quite sharp, he looks busy in the box. But crazy things like the ball comes to the back post… his technique on his kicking and his crossing, that’s the thing that looks well off.

“There were a couple of moments today at the back post where you’re thinking, ‘that’s not Mo Salah’. He had that moment where he dragged it really ugly towards the left of the post. That’s just his technique. Mo Salah could probably play until he’s 52 and have good technique, so that’s the bit that’s surprising me, the technical bit.”

Salah no longer retains the untouchable status he once did. On Sunday, a minute after United retook the lead, Arne Slot hauled off the forward and replaced him with Jeremie Frimpong despite Liverpool desperately needing a goal.

Jamie Carragher has suggested that Salah should be a regular starter for home games, when Liverpool are expected to dominate, but called on him to be taken out of the team for certain away trips. The Egyptian has been freed of defensive responsibilities as he’s got older, but that is hurting the team right now.

The Ex-Liverpool plater turned pundit claimed: “I don’t think Mo Salah’s in any position to complain if he was left out of one of the next two away games.”

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