{"id":5627,"date":"2026-04-04T18:50:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T18:50:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=5627"},"modified":"2026-04-04T18:50:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T18:50:17","slug":"liverpool-legend-slams-34m-star-after-man-city-fa-cup-loss-so-poor-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=5627","title":{"rendered":"Liverpool legend slams \u00a334m star after Man City FA Cup loss: ‘So poor’ | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Liverpool were thumped by Manchester City (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Liverpool legend Steve Nicol slammed the performance of Mohamed Salah after the Reds were thumped 4-0 by Manchester City in the FA Cup.<\/p>\n

A hat-trick from Erling Haaland and a well-taken finish from Antoine Semenyo saw Arne Slot\u2019s side dumped out of the cup competition on Saturday.<\/p>\n

There was plenty of attention on Salah pre-match, with the Egyptian making his first appearance since announcing his decision to leave Anfield at the end of the season.<\/p>\n

The 33-year-old, who signed for \u00a334million from Roma back in 2017, has struggled for form this season and turned in another disappointing display on Saturday, spurning a great opportunity early on before seeing a penalty saved by James Trafford in the second half.<\/p>\n

And former defender Nicol, a five-time league champion with Liverpool, admitted he is flummoxed by how much Salah\u2019s levels of performance have declined this season.<\/p>\n

\u2018This is unprecedented,\u2019 Nicol told ESPN. \u2018How can you go from almost winning the Player of the Year last year to this? To the fact that now you don\u2019t look as though you know where the goal is.\u2019<\/p>\n

Analysing Salah\u2019s early miss, he added: \u2018The fact is, he had plenty of time to get it under control and pick his spot. But his touch is so poor.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Manchester\t<\/div>
Salah saw his penalty saved by James Trafford (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Where\u2019s the power? He\u2019s obviously, his whole body shape\u2019s wrong.<\/p>\n

\u2018And even the penalty kick. He doesn\u2019t have his head up. You watch the majority of people take penalty kicks nowadays.<\/p>\n

\u2018They\u2019re all watching where the goalie is. But Mo is so concentrated and so unsure that he has to concentrate on the ball and make sure he gets a good strike. <\/p>\n

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Virgil van Dijk\u2019s performance was also criticised (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018And so all that other stuff that you would normally do with your head up, because you\u2019re confident, has completely and utterly disappeared.\u2019<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley called into question the form of Virgil van Dijk after the Dutchman gave away the penalty which opened the floodgates in Manchester.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s been poor as well,\u2019 Burley said of the Liverpool captain. \u2018Two guys that were paid a King\u2019s ransom in the summer, two leaders, he\u2019s the captain, two guys that have taken this Liverpool team on their shoulders in different aspects, have been two of the worst performers.<\/p>\n

\u2018Obviously, [Ibrahima] Konate has had a very, very bad season, but in terms of leadership, positioning and defending with Van Dijk\u2019s quality, he\u2019s been poor.\u2019<\/p>\n

Asked about the performances of experienced players like Salah and Van Dijk post-match, Slot said: \u2018I wouldn\u2019t like to point out to individuals after a loss like this or after a disappointing season that we are having. I think it\u2019s about the team. <\/p>\n

\u2018Mo [Salah] had a few good chances, which is always important because you want players like him to get chances, and I think that\u2019s what in general we did this season, getting him or other players in good positions. <\/p>\n

\u2018Unfortunately, if you look at not only today but the whole season, the amount of goals we scored is far too low for the amount of chances we created, but definitely for the Liverpool standard.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Why are Southampton wearing yellow kit with no names against Arsenal in FA Cup?<\/span><\/p>\n

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