Gary Neville's March comments on Mohamed Salah shed light on brutal "played them" remark

Gary Neville's comments earlier this year appear to explain why he mocked Liverpool for handing Mohamed Salah a lucrative new three-year contract on Friday.

After a year-long contract dispute between Salah and Jurgen Klopp's side, the Egyptian finally put pen to paper on Friday on a deal worth £350,000 a week to make him the club's highest-paid player in history, with his original contract due to expire at the end of June 2023.

For Salah, the 2022/23 campaign was one of mixed highs and lows. He helped Liverpool win the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, but finished second in the Premier League, lost the final of the Champions League with the Reds and lost the Africa Cup of Nations final earlier this year with Egypt.

Salah did finish with 23 goals and 13 assists in his 35 Premier League appearances, with his 36-goal contributions in the league making him the joint winner of the golden boot award, and winning the accolade for most assists in the top flight.

However, 25 of the 36 came prior to Salah missing the start of 2022 due to being on AFCON duty with Egypt, having a significant decline in the second half of the campaign.

When announcing Salah's new contract, ex-United captain Neville tweeted: "Salah has played them hasn't he," followed with laughing emojis. Comments made by Neville in March appear to explain why he thinks the striker has 'got one over' Liverpool.

"At times earlier in the season, Salah was at a level that was the best in the world, and he still could be," Neville told Sky Sports back in March. But if you said to me I could sign one player for Manchester United tomorrow, I would still probably go for Mbappe or Haaland over Salah.

"It's not a Liverpool thing, I think Salah is absolutely amazing, but I