Graeme Souness doesn't hold back with three admissions about Liverpool's Mo Salah

Graeme Souness has called out two of Mohamed Salah's poor traits - albeit admitting he still makes his all-time Liverpool XI. Salah looks set to be Arne Slot's star man, just as he was for Jurgen Klopp, having scored and assisted in last weekend's 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

Now in the final year of his Reds contract, the 32-year-old continues to put in the work off the pitch to be a dominant force on it. But Liverpool legend Souness isn't fond of everything he does between kick-off and full-time.

Discussing Salah on talkSPORT alongside Jim White and Simon Jordan in a review of the opening fixtures, Souness claimed: "He does dive, unnecessarily. He is a diver, but then he’s not alone in that. Is he going to war for you when the going gets tough and you have to turn up when it really, really matters? I think he can be accused of not doing that."

However, the 71-year-old pundit feels obliged to hail him as one of the club's best-ever attackers. He continued: "But in saying that, I was having a bit of banter with a friend of mine, texting each other, Liverpool’s greatest-ever team. I have to go three at the back to get him in but I have him. He has to get in, his stats would suggest that. He’s class."

Souness' admissions came after criticism of Salah from Jordan, who feels he's often praised beyond the true reality of his capabilities and also benefits from the quality of the players around him. "I know this is controversial and people will tell me what a clown I am, but I’m not a fan of Mo Salah’s," the former Crystal Palace chairman said.

"I think that he plays in a very good Liverpool side that create loads of chances. I don’t think he’s as a good as people make him outto be. I think he dives, I think he can be a fair-weather player. Obviously he’s scored loads of goals [but] when the going gets tough, some people stand up and fight and some people don’t, and I just get this feeling Salah can be one of those."

Salah has regularly silenced the critics during his seven years on Merseyside. His £34.3million arrival in 2017 was doubted by many, but he soon crossed out those question marks a remarkable first season of 44 goals and 15 assists in all competitions.

His strike on Saturday was the 212th of his Liverpool career and he sits third in the club's all-time top scorer list. He may not reach Roger Hunt in second place on 262, however, if he doesn't put pen to paper on a new deal at Anfield.

Interest from the Saudi Pro League will continue to be discussed in the coming months. But there's no doubts about his ability to continue playing at the top level.

“Every year he comes back in even better shape than he was the season before,” team-mate Andy Robertson claimed after the Ipswich victory. “He was one of the players who had a longer summer which was hugely beneficial to him.

"He managed to get a full pre-season under his belt and looks fit and sharp. He was excellent, especially in the second half when he carried us over the line. Mo looks after his body exceptionally well.

"He's a model professional and someone everyone looks up to. He leaves no stone unturned and that's why he's still in incredible shape. Long may that continue. If our main man is playing like that then it's going to help the team."

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