Former Liverpool full-back Steve Nicol. Picture: ESPN/ YouTubeplaceholder image
Former Liverpool full-back Steve Nicol. Picture: ESPN/ YouTube | Former Liverpool full-back Steve Nicol. Picture: ESPN/ YouTube
Liverpool fell to a 1-0 loss against Galatasaray in the Champions League last 16 first leg and Mo Salah struggled i the game.
Former Liverpool full-back Steve Nicol has claimed that Mo Salah must be dropped after the defeat against Galatasaray.
The Reds suffered a 1-0 loss to the Turkish giants in the Champions League last 16 first leg in Istanbul. Liverpool’s performance was below par and despite having a goal disallowed by VAR and missing chances, they could have few complaints about the reverse.
Salah was lacklustre throughout the encounter and was substituted on the hour mark. The winger’s form has plummeted this campaign, having fired 34 goals and 23 assists in the 2024-25 Premier League title-winning season.
Salah was benched for three successive games earlier in the current campaign - and subsequently claimed he had been ‘thrown under a bus’ and he had no relationship with head coach Arne Slot.
Liverpool turn their attention to the visit of Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday. While Salah was not the only player who struggled against Galatasaray, with Florian Wirtz, Ibrahima Konate and Hugo Ekitike also poor, Nicol believes that the Egypt international should be among the substitutes.
Speaking on ESPN, Nicol said: “As much as we’re talking about Florian Wirtz, you could say the same thing about Mo Salah. He does absolutely nothing for the team.
“He needs to get dropped again. Does [Slot] just say, ‘Right, Frimpong’s starting or [Rio] Ngumoha’s starting; and Salah, you’re sitting’? It actually is at that stage where anything really would be better.”
Former Celtic and Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley agreed with Nicol and feels that Salah should not warrant a starting spot against Spurs. Burley said: “Would you rather have Cody Gakpo in? At least he’ll get some. At least he’s powerful. At least he’s physical. At least he’ll run back.”
“I don’t really care what you have got on the bench. Mo Salah has to take his second trip to the subs bench. In terms of not starting, because he’s doing absolutely, well, he’s not doing a lot.”
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