'Just hit a brick wall' - Gary Neville BACKS Mo Salah to silence critics after Jurgen Klopp spat | OneFootball

Gary Neville has backed Mohamed Salah to silence his doubters and bounce back from a terrible run of form following his recent touchline spat with Jurgen Klopp.

The Egyptian was dropped for the trip to face West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday and got into a heated debate with Klopp on the sidelines moments before his introduction from the bench in the second half.

It was yet another concerning sign for Liverpool fans, with Salah's declining form since the beginning of the year truly worrying.

With his contract expiring in 2025, Liverpool will either have to extend his current deal this summer or cash in on him before he becomes a free agent, a decision which has divided opinion in recent months.

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However, former Manchester United defender Neville believes it's far too early to write Salah off and has backed the attacker to rediscover his best form.

GARY NEVILLE BACKS MO SALAH AMID CRITICISM

Speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast after the north London derby on Sunday, Neville admitted that Salah is some way off his best at the moment.

"I was obviously at the Merseyside derby, have done a lot of Liverpool games recently, and he's [Salah] not at his level," said Neville. "He's been an amazing player and he is an amazing player, but he was massively off it in the Merseyside derby.

"He didn't touch the ball in the first half, what was noticeable, and he was right in front of me up against [Vitaliy] Mykolenko, I can't remember him getting the ball. I think we showed that he had five or six touches after 30 odd minutes.

"He wasn't in the game, they weren't getting him in the game, but Mo Salah usually gets in the game."

However, Neville believes that a summer break might be all the 31-year-old needs to reset himself and get back to his ruthless best.

Gary Neville file photo File photo dated 11-08-2023 of Gary Neville, who will take to the stage at Kendal Calling later this year, the music festival has announced. Issue date: Thursday January 25, 2024. FILE PHOTO EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or live services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publica... PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUKxIRL Copyright: xMikexEgertonx 75151218

"Mo Salah has just hit a brick wall," added Neville. "You've got to be careful because there's a player out here [Tottenham Hotspur Stadium] today called [Heung-min] Son, that I think hit a brick wall probably about 18 months ago, and it looked like he was gone and struggling [but now he's back].

"These players play so much football and so consistently, and Salah's been almost ever-present for like six or seven years it feels like, and there just comes a point where you just need a break.

"That's all I'm seeing. It's too quick to say that this is the end of Mo Salah because I think we've done that before. He just looks like he's run marathon after marathon in every season and he's just mentally and physically got to a point where he thinks it's hit him.

"The season end is just around the corner and he'll get a break, and he needs that break."

Salah has failed to score from open play in his last eight matches and Liverpool may have to make a big decision on his future before they get the chance to see whether or not he can find his form again.

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