Six pundits who’ve sided with Mo Salah during Liverpool beef: Terry, Shearer… | OneFootball

While most pundits have sided with Arne Slot over Mohamed Salah, a handful have empathised with the Egyptian and have seen things from his point of view.

Following the forward’s recent outburst, he was omitted from Liverpool’s squad that faced Inter Milan and was left back in England.

Pundits like Jamie Carragher and Wayne Rooney have heavily backed the club over the player, but a select few pundits have sided with the Egyptian star.

John Terry

One of the most high-profile former players to take Salah’s side is Terry, who briefly played with the forward during his time with Chelsea.

“Do you think he’s been made a scapegoat or been made one by the Liverpool manager? I think he’d be the first one to say he’s been out of form this season, but I have to agree with him as well,” Terry said on TikTok.

“I think he has been made a scapegoat a little bit. I think a lot of Liverpool players, including himself, have been out of form recently.

“And to leave him out – I’m not being funny, if there’s one player that can win you a game, it’s going to be him, so it’s a big call from the manager.

“Also, when you keep him on side, when you bring experienced players in the office and give them the reasons why they are being left out, you have nowhere to go but being shown that respect from the manager is really important.”

Micah Richards

Carragher’s head almost fell off during CBS’s coverage of the Champions League when Richards made a case for Salah.

“We’re talking about one of the greatest players ever to grace the Premier League,” Richards said.

“I’m understanding the frustration of Mo Salah wanting to come on the pitch.

“I’ve said he’s wrong. I still think he’s wrong for coming out and said that. So I agree with that point.

“But I also understand that the calibre of player, he would want to play. He would be frustrated.”

Alan Shearer

Shearer compared Salah’s current situation to his at Newcastle under former boss Ruud Gullit.

“I get his frustration and anger and I totally understand the way he will be feeling,” Shearer said on the Rest Is Football podcast.

“I had a similar situation when Ruud Gullit left me out [at Newcastle United] and wanted me out of the club.

“I didn’t [go public with my feelings], I don’t think you can and that’s why I think he’s sort of got it wrong on this occasion.

“Mo Salah has been unbelievable for that football club. I get how he may look at it, but the bigger picture is no one – I don’t care who you are – is bigger than the club.

“It’s a really difficult situation for the manager and him, it probably is best that he goes away for AFCON to try and clear his head, start games again and try to get his frustration out.

“Then, hopefully he’ll come back into a more settled situation where Liverpool are winning.”

Gary Lineker

On the same podcast, Lineker took a similar view to Shearer.

“I think he’s got a point by the way,” Lineker said of Salah’s rant.

“A player who has done that much, been so consistent, the first bad spell he has really for the club, the first real bad spell, that’s when you need a manager’s support and his loyalty. You need him to help you under those circumstances.”

“Also, if the team’s not playing very well, it’s generally the guys up front that struggle. So I think Mo’s absolutely right with what he’s saying.

“I don’t think Slot has handled it very well. I just can’t understand why he didn’t put him on. I would imagine there’s been a bit of something behind the scenes.

“I don’t know, but I think he’s right in what he says, almost, but to do it publicly was a bit unwise.”

Clarence Seedorf

The former Netherlands midfielder thinks that Slot should open the door for Salah to return to the side.

“We obviously have great respect for you [Slot] and Mo Salah, we don’t want to be polemic, but it’s also a need to understand because there’s a lot of assumptions made by us as well,” Seedorf said while interviewing Slot.

“Do you have the intention to bring him back? It is our view, I would love to see that happen, because everybody makes mistakes in life. Things happen and you always have the spirit.

“I believe that the team, the club and the coach, when a player is hurt for whatever reason – right, wrong or whatever – should make the first step and open the door for him to then see what is happening. This was my comment.”

Ahmed Elmohamady

Unsurprisingly, the former Egyptian full-back has sided with Salah as he labelled Carragher a ‘disgrace’ for his stance on the situation.

“Jamie you’re a disgrace, Salah completely rewrote his story through hard work, humility, and world-class performances,” the former Egypt star wrote on X.

“He didn’t ‘fail’ at Chelsea — he was never given the chance. He went to Italy, rebuilt himself, then came to Liverpool and became: a Premier League legend, Egypt’s greatest ever player, one of the most consistent forwards of his generation.

“Salah has carried Egypt for years and getting Egypt qualified for World Cup twice after so long, Salah earned everything.

“No wonder you got blanked by (Cristiano) Ronaldo. No wonder (Lionel) Messi called you out. No wonder (Jose) Mourinho said you were below average and not even in (the) top 1000 defenders in (the) Premier League.”