Mohamed Salah, the Liverpool forward, has recently faced criticism for his reaction to being benched, sparking concerns about his legacy at the club. Wayne Rooney, a former Manchester United striker, expressed his views on the situation, highlighting the potential negative impact of Salah’s comments.
Salah has not started in Liverpool’s last three matches and voiced his frustrations following a 3-3 draw against Leeds United, indicating that he feels scapegoated for the team’s disappointing start to the season. This reaction marks a significant departure from his otherwise stellar eight-year tenure at Liverpool, during which he bagged two Premier League titles and netted 250 goals across all competitions.
This season, however, Salah’s performance has seemingly declined, with only five goals in 19 appearances. Rooney pointed out that the forward is jeopardizing his legacy by publicly airing grievances about his treatment. On his podcast, he remarked that such behavior could overshadow his achievements at Liverpool, emphasizing that it would be unfortunate for Salah to throw away his hard-earned reputation.
Rooney suggested that head coach Arne Slot needs to reaffirm his authority by taking a strong stance with Salah, possibly by sidelining him from the team for a while to allow tensions to settle. He commented that if he were in Slot’s position, he would exclude Salah from the squad until the situation improves.
Salah has expressed feelings of being “thrown under the bus,” reflecting the team’s struggles this season as they currently sit ninth in the Premier League, trailing leaders Arsenal by ten points after 15 games. Rooney argued that Salah’s words might have thrown Liverpool under the bus instead, suggesting that the forward may come to regret his remarks in the future.