Former Liverpool manager Arne Slot left Mohamed Salah on the bench for the entire first‑leg quarter‑final against Paris Saint‑Germain, a match the French side won 2‑0 at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday. Slot's decision sparked debate, but former Bolton boss Sam Allardyce defended the move, saying the coach must put results before reputation.
Allardyce told BOYLE Sports that Salah's goal‑scoring has "largely dried up this season". He added, "I actually think it's harder for Arne Slot to drop Salah now that everyone knows he's leaving, but he has to do what he thinks is right for the team as he's under pressure himself." The former England manager argued that if Slot feels Salah is not contributing enough, the player must be dropped because "he's the one that carries the can".
Allardyce pointed to recent missed chances, recalling a shot Salah failed to convert against Manchester City last weekend, a situation the former defender "hesitated that extra second or two, and the defender was able to get the block in". He also highlighted a penalty miss in the second half of the Liverpool‑PSG game, describing it as "like a back‑pass to the goalkeeper" and warning it could damage the Egyptian's confidence.
The former England international concluded that when a star's output declines, the coach's duty is to act, even if the decision draws criticism.
