Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has been shortlisted for the BBC Sports Personality’s World Sports Star of the Year award. The Egyptian was nominated for the prestigious honour, just days after a bombshell interview in which he named Arne Slott and suggested Liverpool would “throw him under the bus”. The winger was on the bench for the third consecutive game in last weekend’s draw against Leeds United, but remained a substitute as Liverpool conceded the lead twice.
His post-match comments were controversial and his future at Anfield is very uncertain ahead of the African Cup of Nations. This will put added pressure on head coach Arne Slott, who won just two league games in September. Liverpool’s title defense is almost over, with three must-win games to avoid the play-offs and qualify for the Champions League.
Following Liverpool’s title-winning season in 2024-25, Salah joins boxer Terence Crawford on a star list and leads the league in goals (29) and assists (18).
Revealing the list of candidates, the BBC wrote: “The ‘King of Egypt’ Salah will help Liverpool win a record-equalling 20th top-flight title in the 2024-25 season, scoring 29 Premier League goals and breaking a number of records.”
“He became the first player to win the Golden Boot award, the Playmaker award for most assists and the Premier League Player of the Season award in the same season. He was also named PFA Men’s Player of the Year for a record third time and won the Football Writers’ Player of the Year award for the third time.
“The 33-year-old has surpassed Sergio Aguero’s 184 goals to become the highest-scoring overseas player in Premier League history.
“Salah has scored five goals in 18 appearances for Liverpool so far this season and said on Saturday he felt like he had been ‘thrown under the bus’ by the club and that his relationship with head coach Arne Slott had fallen apart.
Jamie Carragher did not hesitate to criticize Salah on Monday Night Football, suggesting his bombshell interview was a calculated move to put him in a strong position.
Carragher said: “Every time Mo Salah stops in the mixed zone – he has done so four times in eight years at Liverpool – it is choreographed by him and his agents to do maximum damage and strengthen his position.”
“I think he chose to do this this weekend and was waiting for a bad result for Liverpool.
“I think you can see by the last-minute goal that Liverpool supporters, the manager and everyone involved at the club feel like they’re in a bind at the moment, and he’s choosing that moment to bring on a manager and maybe even sack him.”
“The club made the right decision in that[Salah]will not go abroad now. I don’t know if he will play for Liverpool again.
“I hope he does, because he’s one of the greatest players we’ve ever had. But if you keep going like that and say things like that when he doesn’t play, who knows?”
