Mohamed Salah has been absent from Liverpool’s starting XI for the past three fixtures.
Mohamed Salah has expressed feeling “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool, alleging a breakdown in his relationship with head coach Arne Slot.
Salah remained an unused substitute during Saturday’s 3-3 draw against Leeds United, marking the third consecutive match in which the Egyptian star began on the bench.
Following the game, Salah, who has scored 250 goals in 420 appearances for Liverpool, stated in an interview with 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 as the Reds secured the title during Slot’s inaugural campaign.
However, his form has waned since, coinciding with Liverpool’s inability to replicate their previous success.
Salah, who arrived from Roma in 2017 under Jurgen Klopp, has managed just four goals in 13 top-flight appearances this season.
Sources indicate to BBC Sport that the Saudi Pro League maintains interest in Salah, who signed a fresh two-year contract with Liverpool in April. Al-Hilal, managed by Simone Inzaghi, is reportedly among the clubs keen on acquiring Salah’s services.
Following the Leeds match – where Liverpool relinquished leads of 2-0 and 3-2 before conceding a 96th-minute equalizer – Arne Slot explained his decision to Sky Sports not to deploy Salah at Elland Road.
“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.”
Speaking at his pre-match news conference on Friday, Slot acknowledged the discourse 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,” Slot added.
Salah, currently third on Liverpool’s all-time scoring chart, behind Ian Rush (346) and Roger Hunt (285), last started in the 4-1 Champions League home defeat to PSV Eindhoven on November 26.
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