Mohamed Salah has been omitted 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 was an unused substitute in Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds United, marking the third consecutive game in which the Egyptian star began on the bench.
Following the game, the player, 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 in Slot’s inaugural campaign.
However, his form has since waned as Liverpool have struggled to replicate the successes of the previous term.
Salah, who was acquired from Roma by Jurgen Klopp in 2017, has registered just four goals in 13 top-flight appearances this season.
Sources have indicated to BBC Sport that the Saudi Pro League remains interested in Salah, who signed a new two-year contract with Liverpool in April. Al-Hilal, under the management of Simone Inzaghi, are reportedly among the teams pursuing Salah.
Following the Leeds game – in which Liverpool led 2-0 and later 3-2 before conceding a 96th-minute equalizer – Liverpool manager Arne Slot explained to Sky Sports his decision not to utilize Salah at Elland Road.
“It was more about controlling the game [at 3-2] and we didn’t need a goal,” Slot stated. “Normally when you need a goal, like last week against Sunderland, I brought Mo on.”
During his pre-match news conference on Friday, Slot acknowledged understanding the discourse surrounding Salah after his omission 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 list 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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