Alan Shearer believes Mohamed Salah did not play well despite scoring twice in Saturday's Merseyside derby - while also backing the Reds for a title challenge despite some "iffy" defending.
Salah struck late from the penalty spot then on the counter to send the team temporarily top of the table
But up until that point the Egyptian had been relatively quiet
This prompted a debate on the latest episode of The Rest is Football podcast.
Gary Lineker kicked things off, asking:
"Mo Salah, he's firing - I was going to say firing again, every player has little dips but he doesn't have many, does he? He's just a consistent performer
Shearer
"He didn't play that well though, did he?"
"It seems stupid but his touch was off, wasn't working for him running with the ball, but that doesn't matter, does it? You get two goals, away you go, thanks very much."
Sheared added:
"Give me playing s*** every day of the week and let me score goals, I wouldn't care how I played.
"I'd have loved to have played well every game but obviously you don't, but I'll take s*** every day of the week so long as I score. Same with you isn't it?"
Lineker
"God yeah. I could say the same thing,"
"It's lovely to play well and all that but this nonsense about assists are satisfying, not for a striker because you live off your ratio, your goals."
"And is Mo Salah the best player in the Premier League at the moment?"
Micah Richards
"Very good question. I think he's most consistent over the last few years in terms of scoring goals. Even if he doesn't play well,"
"I'm a big fan, I wouldn't say I'm biased but because I played with him and have seen his development, I always say Mo Salah - and here's a question for you - who would you rather have, Mo Salah or Eden Hazard?"
Lineker replied
"I don't think there's much in it. They're different kinds of players as well. Hazard is more like a no.10 I think, isn't he? That's his best position, he was brilliant on the half turn.
"When we talked to Thierry Henry on the podcast recently he was talking about [Lionel] Messi - wasn't saying he was as good as Messi, obviously not - but he was talking about the fact he was a player that was always prepared to get the ball and try and beat someone. I suppose Mo Salah does that, Hazard was a better at dribbling as a no.10 and Salah does kinda play high on the right.
"Hazard has played in that position as well at times but I think they're different sorts of players. Mo Salah will always score more goals than Hazard so it's a bit of an argument of player over goalscorer. What do you think is the answer to that question?"
Richards replied: "I think Hazard is a better all-round player, but I think Salah is just more devastating. He is a goalscorer."
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