Rio Ferdinand has launched a staunch defence of Mohamed Salah and claims the Liverpool forward has been ‘disrespected’ by those questioning whether he is world class.

Salah has played an instrumental role in Liverpool’s success since his £43 million move from Roma in 2017, scoring 211 goals in 347 appearances and has helped the club win six major trophies, including the Premier League and Champions League.

However, Salah has faced heavy criticism in recent weeks, with Graeme Souness calling the Egypt international ‘selfish’, while former Watford striker Troy Deeney suggested that the forward should not be considered ‘world class’.

But Ferdinand is adamant that the Liverpool forward should be considered one of the best in the world.

‘Can I just say something about Mo Salah – I think he’s been disrespected recently,’ Ferdinand said on Vibe With Five.

‘I’ve seen a lot of comments about him, I’ve seen people talking about him, caning him.

‘I don’t think there’s been a debate that Mo Salah has been world class for a number of years.

‘Maybe this season he’s tailed off but in his pomp years at Liverpool, absolutely world class.

‘Real Madrid only win that Champions League final [in 2018] because he came off injured. Up until that moment he came off injured Liverpool were on the front foot, as soon as he came off everything changed.

‘His numbers are off the charts, I don’t understand it, it’s unbelievable. Mo Salah I think has been so disrespected.

‘I saw Graeme Souness, Troy Deeney and Simon Jordan, I couldn’t believe the disrespect I was seeing about him, I couldn’t believe it, they were talking about him like he’s just any guy.

‘I think he’s been absolutely world class, you can’t do those numbers. They’ll sit there and say, ‘Harry Kane’s world class over the years’. Mo Salah’s numbers will be similar around Harry Kane over the last six or seven years but Mo Salah has been winning things, he’s won a league, Champions League, trophies across the board while doing that.

‘I don’t know how you can debate if Mo Salah has been world class at any point in his career at Liverpool, it’s off the scale to even question him, I don’t care, it’s mad, he’s won trophies, he’s the player who decides games for them consistently and he has done it at the top level.’