Shearer & Richards lay Mo Salah’s deficiencies bare at Liverpool

Alan Shearer agreed with Micah Richards that Arne Slot was right to drop Mo Salah from Liverpool’s starting XI.

The Dutch head coach made the bold call to bench the Egyptian international for the Reds’ trip to West Ham on Sunday.

There can be few arguments with the result, of course, as goals from Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo saw the Merseysiders depart the London Stadium with a 2-0 win.

Alan Shearer and Micah Richards weigh in on Mo Salah call

Richards pointed out that Salah’s limited involvement in defensive duties is currently hurting the club.

Especially at a time when Liverpool aren’t benefitting from his generally sharp eye for goal.

“Pundits now (say), ‘Oh, he’s not tracking runners’. Mo Salah has never really tracked runners,” the former Man City defender spoke on The Rest is Football podcast.

Richards went on to add: “I remember last season, Slot saying he’s got more of a role where he can stay a little higher.

“The problem is he’s not scoring as frequently as last season. If you’re not scoring, the manager has it within his rights to replace him.

“It’s a big decision, but the manager’s job’s on the line. Going away from home he probably thought, ‘I need a bit more stability’.”

Fellow pundit Alan Shearer very much agreed with that assessment: “He hasn’t been scoring goals, he hasn’t been playing well, and when that happens – the manager’s got every right to leave you out.

“And when he leaves you out, you have to get a result, and they have done.”

Was Slot’s decision to drop Salah vindicated?

It’s hard to argue that Liverpool missed Mo Salah on the right flank – at the very least, certainly not the version we’ve been treated to in the 2025/26 season.

Slot’s men dominated possession and, critically, creative threat in the Egyptian’s absence:

* Liverpool and West Ham’s stats during Premier League clash (Fotmob)

Admittedly, it helped a great deal that Liverpool’s next most creative force in Florian Wirtz had the time and space to be able to aid our offensive ventures.

But it’s proof that this side can function and win games without our talismanic winger in the starting lineup.

With so much red on the board for results, getting the win at all costs (regardless of who gets benched) should just be our primary objective now.

Is this Mo Salah’s worst start to a season at Liverpool?

It’s important to emphasise firstly that the team’s horrendous run of poor form and even worse performances hasn’t allowed Salah to be his shining best.

* Mo Salah’s stats in the Premier League since signing for Liverpool (12 games in), via Transfermarkt

Our number 11 has often been left isolated on the right flank, however, he’s not been close to being as influential as Dominik Szoboszlai, for instance, on and off the ball.

A Liverpool in form would probably help the right winger out of his current scoring rut. But at the minute, a largely out-of-form Liverpool side is very much exposing Mo Salah’s deficiencies.

Arne Slot is preparing Liverpool ahead of AFCON

With the AFCON set to kick off on December 21 – and Liverpool still yet to find out when they have to release the 33-year-old for the tournament – it’s a sign that Arne Slot is keeping one eye on the near future.

We already have suspicions that the Dutchman might look to keep Salah benched for our upcoming game against Sunderland, also.

Ultimately, one could argue he’d be justified in doing so, given this was one of our most controlled performances of the season.

Albeit, with the greatest of respect to West Ham, against low-quality opposition.

Of course, this then begs the question as to what the manager should do if Salah returns from AFCON to a Liverpool side that has been enjoying a rich vein of form without him.

It looks like there are some tough choices ahead for Arne Slot!

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