Mohamed Salah has been absent from Liverpool’s starting XI for the past three fixtures.
Mohamed Salah has stated he feels “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool and suggested a breakdown in his relationship with head coach Arne Slot.
Salah remained an unused substitute in Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds United, marking the third consecutive match where the Egyptian star began on the bench.
Following the game, the player, who has scored 250 goals in 420 appearances for Liverpool, made striking comments to journalists: “I think it is very clear that somebody wants me to take all the blame.”
“I’ve said a few times before that I have a good relationship with the manager and now all of a sudden we have no relationship. I don’t know why.”
“It seems like the club are throwing me under the bus – that’s how I feel.”
“This club, I will always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much and I always will.”
“It [the situation] is not acceptable to me, to be fair. I don’t get it. It’s like I’m being thrown more under the bus. I don’t think I’m the problem. I have done so much for this club. I don’t have to fight every day for my position because I earn it. I earned my position.”
Salah, 33, tallied 29 goals in the 2024-25 Premier League season, contributing to the Reds’ title win during Slot’s inaugural campaign.
However, his form has waned since, as Liverpool has struggled to replicate the success of the previous term.
Since joining from Roma in 2017 under Jurgen Klopp, Salah has recorded just four goals in 13 Premier League appearances this season.
Sources indicate to BBC Sport that the Saudi Pro League maintains interest in Salah, who signed a two-year contract extension with Liverpool in April. Al-Hilal, managed by Simone Inzaghi, is reportedly among the clubs vying for Salah’s signature.
Following the Leeds match, where Liverpool conceded a 96th-minute equalizer after leading 2-0 and 3-2, Arne Slot addressed his decision not to deploy Salah at Elland Road to Sky Sports.
“It was more about controlling the game [at 3-2] and we didn’t need a goal,” said Slot. “Normally when you need a goal, like last week against Sunderland, I brought Mo on.”
During his pre-match press conference on Friday, Slot acknowledged the discussions surrounding Salah’s absence from the starting lineup.
“The chatter, yes, because he deserves that, he has been so influential for me and [for] six or seven years. It’s completely normal people talk about it when he isn’t playing,” added Slot.
Salah, positioned third in Liverpool’s all-time scoring charts behind Ian Rush (346) and Roger Hunt (285), last started in the 4-1 Champions League home defeat against PSV Eindhoven on November 26.
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