Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has been named in the BBC Sport Team of the Week by pundit Garth Crooks. He won’t, however, apologise for controversially leaving the 29-year-old out of his Team of the Year.
Salah scored during the 2-2 draw with Chelsea and was largely impressive as the Reds raced into a two-goal lead. Now, the Egyptian will head of the African Cup of Nations and Liverpool must find a source of goals in his absence.
The Reds star has scored 23 times already this season. During the 2020/21 campaign, he scored 31 and he’s on course to smash that total this time around.
Despite his goalscoring exploits, however, Salah wasn’t selected in Crooks’ Team of the Year for 2021.
Following his goal at the weekend, Crooks praised the 73-cap star, although he admits he won’t be backtracking over his controversial quip last week.
He told BBC Sport: “I heard my non-selection of Mohamed Salah in my team of the year got one or two a little hot under the collar. Well, I make no apologies for that. Salah made my team of the season but crudely chased the Golden Boot award.
“His selfishness had a negative effect on Sadio Mane in particular and, in my view, had an adverse effect on Liverpool’s campaign last season – a point I made at the time.
“This season Salah looks like a team player again and his goals are coming naturally. He is no longer looking for cheap penalties and is back to the player he was the season Liverpool won the title, and that’s why he makes my team of the week.”
Nonsense: Omitting Liverpool star Salah makes no sense
What on earth is Crooks trying to prove? It makes zero sense to name a Team of the Year and not name arguably the best player in world football during that period.
It’s easy to see why some Liverpool supporters might think that Crooks has a vendetta against their club with utter nonsense decisions of this nature.
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Salah almost single-handedly ensured Liverpool claimed a top-four finish last season. Amid a ghastly list of injuries, the Egyptian kept himself fit and continued scoring goals for the club.
The Liverpool man scored 38 goals during the calendar year; also registering four assists during that time.
Salah doesn’t need Crooks’ praise. He is currently world football’s standout star and boy will Liverpool miss him for the next month.
The decision is just bizarre and one that doesn’t exactly cover Crooks in a great deal of glory.
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