Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has called out Mohamed Salah after Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday.
Salah struggled in this weekend’s loss with the Egypt international failing to register a goal or an assist against Pep Guardiola’s side.
Rooney, working as a football pundit on Match of the Day, has criticised Salah for his defending and leaving Conor Bradley isolated down the right.
Bradley was tasked with keeping Jeremy Doku quiet and Rooney feels Salah should’ve been helping out his teammate when City came forward.
Speaking on the BBC, Rooney said: ‘Salah is in the team to score goals and create goals.
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‘He’s been one of the best players in the Premier League over the last six or seven years. But in big games, you have to double up.
‘You have to get back and help your teammate. Conor Bradley was having a really tough game today, to be left on his own…
‘Ryan Gravenberch was trying his best to help him and get over there, but then that leaves spaces in other positions.
‘I think Salah has to come back and help his teammate.’
Rooney: Van Dijk’s disallowed goal should’ve stood
Virgil van Dijk saw a goal ruled out in the match which would’ve seen Liverpool pull level when they were 1-0 down.
The linesman put his flag up because Andy Robertson was deemed to be in an offside position – with the incident checked by VAR.
‘The referee’s call of offside and no goal to Liverpool was checked and confirmed by VAR – with Robertson in an offside position and deemed to be making an obvious action directly in front of the goalkeeper,’ @PLMatchCentre posed on X.
Rooney, though, is adamant that the goal should’ve stood and said: ‘Good movement and a really good header [from Van Dijk].
‘Gianluigi Donnarumma can see the ball the whole way. Robertson is to the side of him and Donnarumma is outstretched, he has a full dive as soon as he can.
‘There’s no impact from Robertson on the goal. Donnarumma has all his weight on his right foot, he dives as soon as Van Dijk heads the ball.
‘He’s on his way. It’s a really good header and the goal should’ve stood for me.’
Metro @ The Match: Wirtz ghosts again
Analysis from Metro‘s Head of Sport James Goldman after Man City’s 3-0 victory over Liverpool…
Watch out Arsenal
Any suggestion that Mikel Arteta’s previously relentless winning machine would sleepwalk their way to the title was always fanciful prior to this weekend. It is pure folly now after a couple of familiar failings reared their head at the Stadium of Light on Sunday, before City laid down an emphatic marker against Liverpool. City have hunted down the Gunners from less promising positions in the past and although the personnel might be different, Arsenal’s failure to go course and distance in the past is likely to haunt them until they finally get over the line. Nothing about City’s recent form suggests they’re going to give them an easy ride.
City’s wing wizards
While they’ve still got to go some to emulate some of their illustrious predecessors, there’s definitely shades of Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling about the current City widemen. Jeremy Doku gave Conor Bradley an infinitesimally more testing time than Vinicius Jnr in midweek and his electric dribbling style now, more frequently than not, culminates in end product. On the opposite flank, Rayan Cherki’s magnetic first touch and inventiveness neatly complimented the qualities of those around him before he was withdrawn early in the second period.
Nico shows why he’s been called up by England
England’s left-back position is certainly up for grabs given the number of options Thomas Tuchel has experimented with over the course of his tenure. Myles Lewis-Skelly’s relative inactivity for Arsenal has handed an opportunity to Nico O’Reilly and it’s one the City youngster looks primed to take. Tasked with taming Mohamed Salah, the 20-year-old hardly gave Liverpool’s talisman an inch and his poise on the ball, a pre-requisite for any City player in Pep Guardiola’s system, helped his side navigate its way out of several tight spots and spring dangerous attacks.
Wirtz ghosts again
Doku’s improvement this season and man of the match display served as a timely remind that it is still way too soon to write off one of Liverpool’s two headline summer signings, but this was another concerning performance. So infrequent was his involvement in the game that it was difficult to determine the role he had been assigned. Either way, he looks ill at ease with the playmaking responsibilities he has presumably been charged with, no matter which combination of midfielders and forwards Arne Slot selects. Lightweight, indecisive and short on confidence, Wirtz and his manager have major issues to solve.
Rooney: Arsenal will be nervous about Man City
Quizzed about the title race, Rooney added: ‘I think City’s performances over the last few weeks have been great.
‘I think Arsenal will be nervous, because City are coming up behind them.
‘It’s happened the last few years to Arsenal (being caught) – so with City and Pep Guardiola behind you, Arsenal will be nervous with City’s form.’