Liverpool dropping Mohamed Salah for Rio Ngumoha would be a major decision for Arne Slot to ponder after their respective performances against Nottingham Forest
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer believes Arne Slot has a decision to make about Mohamed Salah and Rio Ngumoha(Image: Newcastle United via Getty Image)
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Alan Shearer says there is still a question mark about whether Mohamed Salah deserves to be in the Liverpool starting XI. The pundit even suggests Arne Slot could drop him after Rio Ngumoha impressed as a substitute against Nottingham Forest.
He believes Salah has not been performing anywhere near as well as in previous seasons, but the forward does still have seven goals and eight assists across all competitions. Since returning from representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, he has two goals and four assists in eight appearances.
Salah, however, was substituted despite the Reds being level at 0-0 against Forest, with Ngumoha his replacement for the closing stages. The 17-year-old impressed off the bench, and Liverpool scored their goal with him out there.
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Reflecting on that match while speaking to Betfair, Shearer said: "It's been a really poor season up to now for Liverpool. But it has to be a good sign when they were as poor as they were last weekend against Forest and still came away winning the game.
"How many times have we said that the sign of a good team is winning when they're not playing well? That was a big win in more ways than one for Liverpool last weekend.
"There is a question mark over Mo Salah and whether he deserves to be in the team or not. I guess we'll have to wait and see, but he hasn't been anywhere near what he has done in previous seasons.
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"Rio Ngumoha does look a talent, but there's a balance the manager has to get right. When you're knocking on the door that much, at some point, the manager has to let you loose but also protect you.
"In terms of ability, there's no doubt he changed the game last weekend, and what that does is give his manager food for thought. But it would be a huge call to leave out one of Liverpool's greatest ever players for a youngster that's knocking on the door."
Slot, however, is showing no signs of making that call after backing Salah before the West Ham match. He said: "We are used to Mo scoring a lot of goals, and at this moment in time, that is maybe the biggest difference in his performance and game time.
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"But we also know this has happened before. I don't know if it happened nine games in a row, but I've had these questions before: if he didn't score for three or five games. I know in the end he always starts scoring again.
"That is the challenge he has, and we have to make sure he starts scoring again. He is not our only attacker at this moment in time who doesn't score as much as we are used to.
"He set his own standards, and those are so, so, so high and the moment he doesn't score for a few games, people are immediately surprised - that is the biggest compliment he can get."