There was always going to be a reaction when Jamie Carragher ranked Mo Salah among Liverpool’s greatest ever players, but the scale of the backlash has now forced the former defender to respond publicly.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYThe debate began when the ex-centre-back appeared on Liverpool’s official website and revealed his top 10 players in the club’s history, placing the Egyptian forward sixth behind names like Steven Gerrard and Kenny Dalglish.Carragher explained his thinking clearly at the time, saying: “The Egyptian King, Mo Salah. He’s always going to be in the top 10, anyone’s top 10, it’s just where he comes on that list… one of the greatest players and greatest goalscorers we’ve ever seen at Liverpool Football Club.”Carragher forced to respond to Salah backlashDespite that praise, criticism quickly followed online, with some supporters questioning both the ranking and the timing of its release following Salah’s exit announcement.Responding on X, Carragher pushed back firmly on the suggestion the list was poorly timed, writing: “It’s not poor timing from anyone, I did this interview before Salah announced his decision… The club decided to put it out before I gave away my full list!”The 48-year-old also rejected claims he has been overly critical of the Liverpool No.11.He added: “I’m not one of his biggest critics, when have I ever criticised Salah the player… I said he’s the 2nd best foreign player ever in the PL!”Ranking debate misses wider Liverpool historyWhat’s clear from Carragher’s response is that placing Salah sixth was never intended as a slight, but rather a reflection of the club’s long and decorated history.The former England international even went further in previous comments, arguing that Salah sits among the very elite in Premier League history, underlining just how highly he rates the 33-year-old.That context matters, especially when you consider how figures like Gerrard, Dalglish and Graeme Souness shaped entire eras at Anfield, making any all-time list almost impossible to agree on.Even Steven Gerrard has made it clear that replacing Salah requires a “top three or four winger in the world”, which only reinforces the level we’re talking about here.For us, this feels less like criticism and more like proof of greatness, because when you’re arguing about whether someone is sixth or second in Liverpool’s history, you’re already talking about one of the very best to ever wear the shirt.The post Carragher breaks silence after Salah ranking controversy appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.