Wayne Rooney Critiques Mohamed Salah Following Liverpool's Loss to Manchester City

Wayne Rooney, former England star and Manchester United legend, has once again taken aim at Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah following Liverpool's 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.

In comments made during the BBC program "The Match Today," Rooney stated that despite Salah's prominent status, he failed to fulfill his defensive duties during the match, which left right-back Conor Bradley struggling against the pace of Belgian winger Jeremy Doku.

Rooney commented:

"Mohamed Salah is a crucial part of the team and has been one of the top players in the Premier League for the past six or seven years. However, in big matches, he needs to increase his effort and contribute defensively. He left Conor Bradley to fend for himself against Doku, which clearly affected the team's balance."

The all-time leading scorer for Manchester United added:

"We saw Ryan Gravenberch trying to support Bradley, which created spaces in midfield that Manchester City exploited effectively. Salah should have taken on more defensive responsibilities to mitigate these gaps."

This is not the first time Rooney has criticized the Egyptian star; he previously questioned Salah's defensive commitment after Liverpool's 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, remarking that "Salah does not put in enough effort to assist his teammates when possession is lost."

Post-match, criticism of Salah extended beyond Rooney, as Manchester City fans mocked him on social media, saying, "get out of our pocket, little boy," referencing Doku's dominance over him during the game.

It is worth noting that Mohamed Salah, Liverpool's third all-time leading scorer, has been a standout player for the team in recent years. However, his declining performance in high-stakes matches has sparked controversy in English football circles, particularly regarding repeated critiques of his defensive efforts and tactical role in challenging games.