Jamie Carragher has apologised to Mohamed Salah live on air for any disrespect the Liverpool forward feels.
The former Reds defender issued the apology during CBS Sports’ coverage after Liverpool’s Champions League win over Inter Milan on Tuesday night.
Looking directly into the camera, Jamie Carragher said: “Mo, I apologise. I’ve upset you. I love you as a Liverpool player, but you just need to behave yourself off the pitch.”
His comments came after fellow pundit Micah Richards encouraged him to make the apology.
Richards asked: “Would you like to apologise to Mo, and just say sorry for any disrespect? It just comes from passion — you’re a fan. Go on, just say it down the lens.”
Reacting to Carragher’s statement, Richards added: “That’s fair, that looked very genuine.”
Carragher had previously described the ongoing situation with Salah as a “circus” and suggested he did not expect the Egyptian to return to the matchday squad before this weekend’s Premier League fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion, ahead of his departure for the Africa Cup of Nations.
He said: “I don’t think so, to be honest. I don’t know why you’d bring the circus of it — whether he’s on the bench, ‘is he warming up?’
“The supporters… could it split the crowd, the manager and Mo?
“Because there’s only one more game before he goes away, I think it’s probably better if he leaves it for now and then see how the land lies when he’s back from AFCON.”
Carragher also highlighted the situation as a chance for Liverpool’s attacking trio of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike to start together for the first time.
He said: “On the back of Liverpool performing well, it was the first time we’ve really seen Ekitike and Isak together. You’d think Wirtz will start on Saturday as well at home to Brighton.”
Carragher added that Liverpool were always going to need to integrate their high-profile signings: “I actually said a few weeks ago that Liverpool might have to build the team for the future while Mo Salah is at AFCON.
“For whatever reason, it’s happened a couple of weeks early.
“But Liverpool were always going to have to find a way to get their big-money signings into the side.
“It hasn’t happened yet where all three have started.”
He believes Saturday’s match could be a turning point: “I think the game against Brighton is a great opportunity to play the two strikers, with Wirtz behind them.
“He was on the bench tonight and did well when he came on. It might be the first time we see what the future of Liverpool looks like — not just for this season, but for the next 18 months to two years.”
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