‘Show me the money!’ – Liverpool told to break the bank on new Mo Salah contract, but Carragher expresses concern

Daniel Sturridge has urged Liverpool to pay Mo Salah whatever he wants in his new contract, though Jamie Carragher is worried about the Reds breaking their financial structure.

Salah registered a goal and assist as Liverpool brushed Manchester City aside by winning 2-0 at Anfield to go nine points clear at the top of the Premier League, and 11 points clear of Pep Guardiola’s side.

Salah played a key role in Liverpool taking the lead in the 12th minute, as he raced onto a long Trent Alexander-Arnold pass before picking out Cody Gakpo at the back post with a perfect cross, which allowed the Dutchman to finish.

Salah surprisingly missed a great one-v-one chance after the interval but made no mistake from the penalty spot later on.

Luis Diaz had won a spot-kick by drawing a foul from Stefan Ortega. The City goalkeeper went the right way from Salah’s penalty, but the Egyptian’s strike was too powerful and therefore gave Liverpool a two-goal cushion.

Salah is out of contract at the end of the campaign and recently admitted he is ‘more out than in’ at Anfield.

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Mo Salah a ‘rare find’ for Liverpool

When asked on Sky Sports if Liverpool need to do everything to keep the forward, Sturridge said: “It’s a Jerry Maguire moment, show me the money! He’s scored what, 224 goals for the club. This season, top scorer, assists, top of that. Where do you replace those numbers?

“It’s either collectively as a team… you’re not gonna find an individual player [who can replace him]. These are rare finds in football.

“A player of Mo Salah’s qualities deserves to be paid. Whether it’s a two to three-year contract. If it’s two years and he’s asking for big dough [money] you’ve got to pay it.”

However, Carragher has explained why Liverpool cannot simply pay Salah whatever wage he is demanding.

“I’ve got no problem with Salah and Van Dijk, they are two of the greatest players to ever play for Liverpool,” he said.

“Liverpool as a club, we know they’re run by data. So you can’t say, ‘I’m delighted Michael Edwards is back and all the data people are back and we’ve got this Moneyball situation’, but then on the other hand say, ‘give someone what they want’.

“Let’s say Liverpool have a rule, like anyone over 30 only gets a certain length of contract. You have to move the dial for players like that [Salah and Van Dijk].

“This saying, ‘give him what he wants’, this club is not built on giving people what they want. That’s where the success of the club has come from, being ahead of the game.

“Liverpool, keep doing what you’re doing. Don’t be giving someone a three or four-year deal. If you normally give someone an extra year, no, you move the dial for a Salah or Van Dijk.”

After the memorable home victory, Salah was asked about it potentially being his last year on Merseyside. He replied: “Honestly it’s in my head. Until now this is the last City game I will play for Liverpool so I was just going to enjoy it.

“The atmosphere was incredible so I will enjoy every second here. Hopefully, we just win the league and will see what will happen.”

On the atmosphere at Anfield, Salah continued: “It’s very special. I don’t take it for granted. I’m enjoying every minute here. It feels like home.

“It’s always a special feeling always scoring at Anfield and winning games. The fans were behind us from the first minute. I’m glad we managed to win the game, we know that City are going to come [at us].”

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Gary Neville believes Slot will be ‘in dreamland’ as this is a ‘tipping point’ for the title race.

Carragher added that there is now no chance of City coming back and winning a fifth consecutive league crown.

Micah Richards added: “They [City] are just too easy to play against. Defence is not good enough, midfield is getting overran, and up front they’ve got nothing at this moment in time.

“If we’re being honest, Liverpool absolutely battered them… it’s a shadow of the team that I’ve witnessed over this Pep era. It’s strange to see.”

Diaz may have won the penalty for Liverpool but there are question marks over his Liverpool future.

As per reports in Diaz’s native Colombia, there have been ‘disagreements’ in contract talks between the winger and Liverpool.

This has given Paris Saint-Germain renewed hope of landing Diaz in a big-money deal.

Salah a certified Liverpool legend