Wayne Rooney has challenged Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah over his work rate throughout the Reds’ recent slump.
Salah is without a goal contribution across successive defeats to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and, most recently, Chelsea, and Blues defender Marc Cucurella openly admitted they looked to exploit the Egyptian’s limited defensive work in the build-up to Estêvão’s late winner.
Manchester United legend Rooney was among those to question Salah’s approach to the latest defeat. Conor Bradley endured a torrid time up against Alejandro Garnacho and the winner eventually came down Liverpool’s right side when a Blues overload handed Cucurella the chance to cross in to Estêvão for a tap-in.
“Over the last week, I’d question his work ethic,” he told . “We know he doesn’t always get back and defend as much, but I think, the Chelsea game… his full back was getting torn apart and he’s watching, not getting back, not helping him.
“Players like [Virgil] van Dijk and Alisson, who obviously wasn’t playing, the leaders in the team should be telling him, ‘You need to help out.’ For me, that was a worry. He’s looked a little bit lost over the last week.”
