Liverpool icon Graeme Souness believes Mo Salah should end his Anfield career THIS summer, after blaming the Egyptian for the Reds’ downturn. The reigning Premier League champions have endured a difficult season under Arne Slot, having slipped to fifth.

They could still finish the season with a top four spot and two pieces of silverware - the FA Cup and the Champions League - but it has been a very tricky title defence.

Salah has also had a tricky season in front of goal, having scored just five times in the Premier League. Explaining his form to Mail Online, Reds hero Souness said: “What happens, in my opinion and in my experience, is your career happens one of two ways.

"When you get to that sort of 33-34 age area, it's either falling off a cliff, or it's a slow decline. I think Salah is the former.

“I went to see the very first game of the season, the Community Shield against Crystal Palace, and I was sitting next to my young son, I said, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with him?’ And then I thought, maybe he needs half a dozen games to get up to speed.

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“But he's never improved. His numbers tell you that. His numbers are way down, and he is the single biggest reason why Liverpool are having an indifferent season. Because within that group of players, there'll be some that are feeling the pain, some are feeling the negativity that's around the place, and they're not responding very well to it.

“And when you're in that position, you need big players to stand up and be counted. And I think that's been a bit of a shock to Liverpool supporters, the manager and coaching staff, that those guys have not done that.”

Souness continued his tear down of Salah by claiming that he is the main reason behind the Reds’ difficult season. And asked if the forward should leave this summer, he simply replied: “Yes.”

Mohamed Salah has scored just five Premier League goals this season(Image: Getty Images)

Souness added: “His best is behind him now, there’s no doubt about that. The first person to know that is yourself, and it happens to everyone. I don't see the same sparkle. I think if you're looking for the single biggest reason (for Liverpool’s shaky form), it's because he's not been getting the numbers.

“He's been for six, seven years the Liverpool go-to man. He has completely changed games when it wasn't going their way, and he has scored a ridiculous number of goals every season. He’s a great - a Liverpool great - but his best season is behind him.”

Salah remains under contract with Liverpool until 2027, having only penned a new deal with Liverpool in April last year.

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