John Barnes: Pedro Neto Could Be Liverpool’s Next Salah
Last Updated on February 9, 2024
By Jacob Potter 
Nearly a week has passed since Liverpool’s aspirations of clinching the league title were starkly tempered following their 3-1 defeat to Arsenal at The Emirates. In the wake of this setback, we spoke with John Barnes, the former Liverpool winger, to gain insights into Pedro Neto’s form, the commendable performances of Wolves led by Gary O’Neil, how Liverpool will cope without Dominic Szoboszlai, and the repercussions of their loss to Arsenal.
In this article:
- Pedro Neto could be Liverpool’s next Salah
- Gary O’Neil’s work at Wolves praised
- Liverpool can cope without Szoboszlai
- Barnes back Klopp’s troops to bounce back
- Arsenal Celebrations are Much Ado About Nothing
Pedro Neto Could Be Liverpool’s Next Salah
Pedro Neto, the Wolverhampton Wanderers winger has seen his recent years marred by injuries. But those days are behind him as he has returned to form, dazzling in Gary O’Neil’s squad. Amidst this resurgence, Neto has been linked with a potential transfer to Arsenal during the summer. The Portuguese sensation has contributed to 11 goals this season, scoring three and assisting in eight. At the young age of 23, it’s widely believed that Neto’s best years are still ahead of him, indicating that it would require a significant effort for any club to persuade Wolves to part ways with their key player.
Speculation has emerged that Wolves would not consider a transfer fee of less than £60 million, given that Neto’s contract with Molineux is set to run until 2027. While Arsenal’s interest in him is a public matter, John Barnes argues that Neto would find a more fitting home at Anfield, drawing comparisons between him and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
“I’ve always liked Pedro Neto. Always liked him. If you’re looking for the profile of a winger that would suit Liverpool down to the ground, that winger is Pedro Neto.”
“He would suit Liverpool more than any other club. He’s direct, he’s quick. He’s a bit like Mo Salah where he’s direct and always plays well.”
“He’s had his injury issues which have held him back but you can see that he can play for any of the top clubs.”
Wolves have always been a side that have struggled to hit the back of the net in recent years. However, that has all changed under the stewardship of Gary O’Neil. Once the Premier League’s least prolific team, Wolves have evolved into one of the most captivating sides to watch, thanks in large part to the contributions of Pedro Neto and Matheus Cunha. This shift towards a more attacking style and approach has not only benefited the team’s performance but also individual players’ development. John Barnes has been vocal in his admiration for O’Neil’s work, particularly highlighting the attacking ethos he has instilled within the team.
Gary O’Neil’s Work At Wolves Praised
“He’s done a great job. A very good job at Wolves. They have good players but he’s done well stabilise the club after seeing Julen Lopetegui leave.”
“They’re a club with great potential and a good manager. You’ve seen what he did witH the team that beat City and Chelsea and almost rescued a draw against United.”
“His team always tries to play good attacking football so I’m pleased for him.”
Dominic Szoboszlai is out for a month with a reported hamstring injury. Naturally this will be a big blow to Liverpool. The midfielder missed Liverpool’s clash with Arsenal at the weekend and there’s been no timeline as to when he may return to the pitch. So far he has scored five in 28 games during his debut season at the club and has largely impressed at the heart of the Liverpool midfield. Whilst Barnes has been impressed by the Hungarian he believes the reds can cope in his absence.
Liverpool Can Cope Without Szoboszlai
“Liverpool can definitely cope without Szoboszlai but he is a loss. Just like Mo (Salah) is a loss.”
“You want your best players but it’s a little bit like if you lose De Bruyne to an injury. It’s a loss for City but they can still win matches. We can still win matches without him but we will miss him.”
“He’s been one of Liverpool’s most consistent performers. Particularly, as one of the three midfield positions which are so important in a Jurgen Klopp team. He works hard on and off the ball and you could see against Arsenal he was a miss.”
“The way they were breaking forward from midfield and got at our back four and I don’t think that happens with him in the team.”
“It’s a big loss but we can cope without him.”
Barnes Back Klopp’s Troops To Bounce Back
Barnes is now looking to Jurgen Klopp and has his men to bounce back from the disappointing result at The Emirates when they face Burney at Anfield tomorrow.
“I can see Liverpool bouncing back from the Arsenal loss. It was a bad performance against Arsenal. We never played well from start to finish.”
“We were fortunate enough to get back into the game at 1-1 and then we played well at the start of the second half. But we gave away that goal and the game went Arsenal’s way.”
“I’m sure we’ll get a reaction from the boys as Liverpool always do. It was just a bad day at the office.”
Arsenal Celebrations Are Much Ado About Nothing
Much of the talk from the Arsenal result were the celebrations of Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard. Arteta was seen running down the touchline, whilst captain Odegaard celebrated with the Arsenal photographer after the game. Barnes has no issues with the way the Gunners celebrated an important win.
“I don’t care about how Arsenal celebrated. People celebrate how they wanna celebrate.”
“It was a huge result for arsenal. Had they lost they would have gone eight points behind Liverpool and their fight for the title would have been over.”
“I have no issue with how they celebrated. It’s much ado about nothing.”
