THE SUN 🔵 ‘Absolutely pathetic’ – Jamie Carragher accused of ‘trying to be popular’ by ex-Premier League boss over Salah remarks

SAM ALLARDYCE has blasted Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher after making claims that Mo Salah’s “legs have gone”.

The reigning Premier League champions returned to winning ways against West Ham on Sunday.

But Salah was dropped from the starting line-up for the trip to East London and Liverpool boss Arne Slot admitted the Egyptian was unhappy with his axing.

Carragher has been among the pundits to have suggested that the former Chelsea man is struggling to live up to his high standards.

The ex-defender, 47, said: “The catalyst for Liverpool at the very start of the run in 2018 with Jurgen Klopp was Alisson, [Virgil] van Dijk, and Salah.

“Alisson’s injured a lot now, he doesn’t play so much. But you watch Van Dijk now, not the same player, and Mo Salah looks like his legs have gone.”

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But Allardyce, who has managed the likes of Bolton, Newcastle and West Ham in the Premier League, has rubbished Carragher’s claims.

He reckons the Sky Sports pundit is trying to be popular by slamming Salah, 33.

Speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, Allardyce said: “Stop it. He should know better.

“He should really know better. That’s an absolutely pathetic statement, but he’s good at them, isn’t he?

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“He’s good at just throwing it out there for a bit of, you know, ‘popularity’. To keep himself on the front end of it. That’s a disgrace. His legs haven’t gone.

“How can his legs go from what he did last year, having the summer off, and then his legs go this year? How can that happen? It doesn’t happen overnight.

“How does he know anyway? He doesn’t train with him, he doesn’t watch him train. He sees him play, and he might not be doing so well, but that’s like many of the Liverpool players.

“[Alexander] Isak hasn’t played well, so have his legs gone already?”

Salah has notched five goals and recorded three assists in 18 appearances for Liverpool this season.