Liverpool vs Man City: Salah becomes laughing stock as Arsenal legend mocks failed freekick attempt

Mohamed Salah endured a frustrating afternoon as Liverpool fell to a 2-1 defeat against Manchester City at Anfield.

But beyond the result, one moment involving the Egyptian forward quickly became the main talking point across broadcasts and social media.

Salah found himself at the centre of unwanted attention in the 70th minute after winning a free-kick just outside the penalty area following a foul by Marc Guehi.

Liverpool players pushed for a red card, but the referee opted for a yellow, leaving Salah to step up and take the set piece himself.

What followed turned into one of the most talked-about moments of the match. Salah’s effort sailed high and wide, landing deep into the stands behind the Kop, drawing laughter from NBC Sports commentators Joe Speight and Lee Dixon.

Dixon, the former Arsenal defender, joked live on air: “I think I know what Mohamed Salah was trying to do here.”

The reaction didn’t stop there. The clip quickly spread online, with many fans mocking the attempt and calling it one of the worst free-kicks they had seen.

The moment looked even worse minutes later when Dominik Szoboszlai scored from a free-kick taken from a longer distance, putting the contrast between the two efforts under an even brighter spotlight.

Reports also pointed out that Salah has never scored a direct free-kick in either the Premier League or Serie A.

His only successful free-kicks came for Egypt against Uganda in 2019 and once in the Champions League earlier this season following a Szoboszlai lay-off.

The criticism has grown louder because of Salah’s current form. The Liverpool star has scored six goals in 24 matches this season, a sharp drop from the 34 goals he scored in the previous campaign, raising fresh questions about his consistency.