According to Gary Neville, Mohamed Salah's tendency to give the ball away in the opening 45 minutes is becoming a source of frustration for his fellow Liverpool players. Even though the Egyptian star has been productive this season with 22 goals and 6 assists—and scored the team's only goal in their recent 4-1 loss to Manchester City—his inefficiency is noticeable. The defeat has pushed Liverpool 10 points behind league leaders City, who still have an extra game to play, leaving the Reds struggling to maintain a top-four spot. On his podcast, Neville remarked that the team has lost the fearless, positive energy that previously made them invincible.
Neville pointed out a newfound tentativeness in Liverpool's play, noting that they are over-passing and lacking directness in the final third. While he mentioned Thiago Alcantara, he clarified that this cautious approach is a team-wide issue. He contrasted this with the high-risk, high-reward style they have successfully employed over the last three years.
Neville specifically singled out Salah, questioning how often he loses the ball while trying to dribble past opponents in the opposition's half. He noted that this visibly irritates teammates like Mane and Firmino, especially since the direct service they rely on has vanished. Between a lack of risk-taking, diminished running, and a string of injuries, Neville describes the current situation as a 'perfect storm' hitting a squad that has been running at full speed for years. However, he dismissed the idea that Liverpool are 'one-season wonders,' arguing that their quality over the last three years is undeniable and that they simply need a few months to reset before bouncing back next season.