Rio Ferdinand responds to Jamie Carragher claiming Mohamed Salah should not be in Liverpool line-up for next 2 games

Footballer-turned-pundit Rio Ferdinand has made his stance clear about Jamie Carragher claiming Mohamed Salah should not be guaranteed a place in the Liverpool line-up from now on. Salah's woeful run of form continued on Sunday, when Liverpool suffered their fourth straight defeat - a 2-1 loss against Manchester United at Anfield.

In the wake of the damaging loss, Carragher offered his opinion on Salah being one of the first names on the team sheet at Liverpool. The Reds legend believes Salah has not done enough to be guaranteed a place in the starting line-up in the upcoming games against Eintracht Frankfurt and Brentford.

Carragher said on the Gary Neville Podcast:

"We're at a stage now with Mo Salah where he shouldn't be playing every game, it shouldn't be a case of 'he's the first name on the team sheet. It should be a case of 'yes, he's in your best team, he plays home games', but maybe you have to think about Liverpool have two away games, one in Europe, one at Brentford - I don't think he plays in both of them. We're at that stage now where Mo Salah shouldn't be a guaranteed starter next week."

Ferdinand refused to agree with Carragher and highlighted Salah's contributions for the club, suggesting he may still be their best hope in front of goal. Speaking about the Egyptian on his Rio Ferdinand Presents show, the former Manchester United defender stated:

“I actually don’t know how you can go like that [and not let Salah start every game]. This is a player that they’re talking about like one of their greatest two or three players ever to have played for Liverpool. I agree to that as well, one of the greatest players in the Premier League considering the amount of goals he has scored in the time that he’s been here. He’s had a bad few months and people are going he shouldn’t be one of the first names on the list for Liverpool.

"Salah has been part of the most successful Liverpool team of the last 30 years. If you’re looking for a goal for, I’m still saying, if I want it to fall anywhere, I want it to fall for him."

Ferdinand also added that even though Salah isn't performing up to the levels we expect him to, he has also not been receiving the amount of chances he was getting before.

He concluded:

“I don’t believe this jargon of you sitting there and going, he’s no longer one of the first names on the team sheet. Yes, he’s not performing well, he’s not scoring the goals. Is he getting the chances he was getting before?"

Salah, who scored 34 goals and racked up 23 assists in all competitions last season, has found the back of the net just three times so far this term.

---

Rio Ferdinand explains why Alexander Isak has struggled at Liverpool

Liverpool v Manchester United - Premier League - Source: Getty

Liverpool spent a British record transfer fee to snap up Alexander Isak from Newcastle in the summer transfer window. However, the Swede has struggled to hit the ground running on Merseyside, scoring just one goal in seven appearances for the reigning Premier League champions.

Ferdinand has now highlighted the reason why Isak has not been at his best in a red shirt this season. The former England international touched upon how Newcastle play with 'flying' wingers, who have no other intention but to get wide and cross the ball to their number nine. In stark contrast to that style of play, the Reds have wingers who are inverted and like to cut inside, which has not helped Isak in terms of the service.

Ferdinand spoke about the difference in setup on Rio Ferdinand Presents:

“Isak at the moment is in transition from a new team, new coach, a new change room. He hasn’t hit the ground running like a lot of us would have expected. But you have to also take into consideration that it’s a very different setup at Liverpool.

"He’s gone from playing for a team with flying wingers, who would just get the ball into the box, getting down the sides and smashing the ball across the box. He was the guy they were playing into. Now at Liverpool, the first player everyone looks for is Salah and then maybe one of the midfielders and then Isak probably third. You’re playing with two inverted wingers, who both want to come inside. It’s such a different setup for Isak."

Isak's only goal for his new club came during the Reds' EFL Cup win over Southampton at Anfield last month.