Arjun Menon
Klopp Backs Ekitike to Challenge Salah’s Legacy as Carragher Defends All-Time Rankings
The international break provides breathing room for Liverpool supporters processing Mohamed Salah’s departure announcement, but this weekend brings a symbolic return. Jurgen Klopp leads a legends fixture against Borussia Dortmund at Anfield, offering the former manager a chance to reflect on his tenure and comment on the club’s immediate future.
With Salah confirmed to leave when the season ends, Klopp has drawn a striking comparison between the Egyptian’s unmatched record and the potential of Liverpool’s newest forward, Hugo Ekitike.
Klopp’s Assessment of Ekitike’s Challenge
Klopp told The Anfield Wrap that replicating Salah’s extraordinary output would test any striker. Salah ranks third on Liverpool’s all-time goalscoring list, holds four Premier League Golden Boot awards, three FWA Footballer of the Year honors, three PFA Players’ Player of the Year titles, two Premier League championships, and a Champions League trophy.
“In the moment when you work with him, it is the same as every other player, ‘You can’t lose the ball here, you have to defend here,’ all these kind of things,” Klopp explained. “But with the bigger view, it is just ridiculous.”
“[Salah has] unmatched numbers, will we be talking in 10 years, and someone else has them? Ekitike or whoever. I think it will be really difficult [to surpass Salah]. I think he is one of the all-time greats.” Jurgen Klopp
The comment places weight on Ekitike’s shoulders early in his Liverpool career. The 23-year-old joined from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer and has recorded 17 goals in all competitions. Liverpool smashed their transfer record to sign Alexander Isak weeks after Ekitike’s arrival, shifting scrutiny away from the French forward initially. Salah scored 44 goals in his first season with Liverpool in 2017/18 after moving from Roma.
Klopp’s singling out of Ekitike may signal confidence the young forward could eventually reach Salah’s heights, which would constitute considerable praise for the emerging talent.
Carragher Strikes Back at Critics
Jamie Carragher addressed Liverpool supporters who questioned his positioning of Salah at No. 6 on his all-time club rankings. Carragher ranked Ian Rush, John Barnes, Graeme Souness, Sir Kenny Dalglish, and Steven Gerrard ahead of the Egyptian, prompting accusations of disrespect shortly after Salah’s emotional departure video.
Carragher clarified the timing through a post on X: “It’s not poor timing from anyone; I did this interview before Salah announced his decision. Then [I] went on the overlap a day after the Salah announcement and brought up I’d put him 6th on the LFC list. The club decided to put it out before I gave away my full list!”
When another user suggested Carragher took aim at Salah amid their season-long disagreements, the former defender responded firmly: “I’m not one of his biggest critics, when have I ever criticised Salah the player. I said he’s the second-best foreign player ever in the Premier League!”
“You and plenty of others don’t know enough about the club’s history and are being very disrespectful to other players on that list!” Jamie Carragher
Carragher maintained the club’s media team released the video, not through his direction, and emphasized the historical context of Liverpool’s greatest performers deserved recognition alongside Salah’s legacy.
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