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Liverpool hero John Aldridge is refusing to write Mohamed Salah off yet - although he insists the winger needs to continue to be left out of the Reds’ side.
Salah was in the rare position of being named on the bench for a Premier League game on Sunday - the first time that has happened since April 2024. Despite being without their top scorer and most creative player from last season, Liverpool went on to win 2-0 - just its fourth win in the last 13 games across all competitions.
Questions have been raised about Salah’s place in the side after what has been a poor start to the season by his usually high standards.
Having had his decision to leave the Egyptian out at the weekend somewhat vindicated, Arne Slot faces another big decision tomorrow as Liverpool hosts Sunderland, looking to return to winning ways at Anfield following dismal defeats to Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven.
Having only just returned from injury, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak’s minutes will have to be managed closely, which may open the door for Salah to return to the starting line-up.
But while he refuses to write the 33-year-old off just yet, Aldridge insists now is not the time for Slot to bring Salah back.
Writing in his column for the Liverpool Echo, Aldridge said: “First things first. Mohamed Salah has not had his day as a Liverpool player. But there comes a time when even the very best have to be taken out of the firing line if they aren’t reaching the level required.
“And it was intriguing that Liverpool got the job done against West Ham United on Sunday with Salah not even coming off the bench. The Reds also won 5-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League when the Egyptian was restricted to just a late cameo.
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“I’m not saying his absence was the reason for those victories. But the fact is when Salah isn’t at it, it’s almost as though Liverpool are playing with 10 men at present. And there have been too many games recently where he simply hasn’t been anywhere near his best.
“I really don’t want to knock Mo because the contribution he has made to this club is unbelievable. And I am fully convinced he will have a part to play in the coming games before he heads off to the Africa Cup of Nations.
“But the fans aren’t daft. They know there have been games where Salah has been the obvious player to be substituted and it simply hasn’t happened.”
Aldridge added: “Salah has been a Liverpool superstar in the mould of Billy Liddell, Roger Hunt, Kenny Dalglish and Kevin Keegan, and deserves to be in such company. He is a Liverpool legend.
“But even if you are Pele, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, if you’re not playing well then you need to be substituted and, on occasion, you need to be dropped. Nobody, not even the best players of all time, are perfect.
“It’s why I’d like to see Salah remain on the bench against Sunderland, and I’d like to think when he does play again he’ll be fired up to prove Arne Slot wrong.”
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