Mo Salah Storm Deepens as Liverpool Back Slot
Liverpool’s season continues to unravel and the latest twist centres on Mohamed Salah’s extraordinary outburst following the chaotic 3-3 draw at Leeds. According to talkSPORT, the club hierarchy have moved decisively and placed their full backing behind Arne Slot after the forward claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” by his manager. For a player who has defined a generation at Anfield, the fallout feels particularly jarring.
Slot’s Authority Holds Firm
Sources quoted by talkSPORT indicate that Slot retains complete freedom over tactical selection. The board believe players must “react to those decisions in a professional manner”, a line that underpins their support of the manager after Salah’s public frustration. With uncertainty over whether Salah will even board the plane for Liverpool’s Champions League clash at Inter Milan, the tension has reached critical levels.
Salah has been benched for three consecutive Premier League games, and even after a second half cameo at Sunderland, he remained unused against Leeds. His interview laid bare a stark deterioration in trust. “I don’t know why I’m sitting on the bench”, he said. “It feels like the club is throwing me under the bus”. These remarks have alarmed club officials and reportedly encouraged renewed interest from Saudi Pro League sides preparing for a potential January move.
Decline in Output Adds Pressure
Salah’s form has dipped significantly compared with last season’s heroics. He has registered only five goals and three assists in 19 matches this campaign and has not scored in the league since 1 November against Aston Villa. At 33 and preparing to depart for AFCON duty after the Brighton fixture, time is not on his side.
Yet, there is no denying his legacy. He has delivered 188 goals and 89 assists across 301 league appearances and collected nine major trophies. His new two year contract, signed in April, was intended to prolong a dominant era. Instead, Slot is managing a delicate balance between past brilliance and present demands.
Relationship Breakdown Raises Major Concerns
The most concerning element of talkSPORT’s report is Salah’s revelation of a fractured bond with Slot. “Suddenly we don’t have a relationship anymore. I don’t know why”, he admitted. Such wording rarely appears without lasting consequences. If player and manager cannot realign quickly, Liverpool must brace for seismic decisions in January.
For now, the board’s position is clear. Slot leads the team, Salah must accept tactical rotation, and discipline will be upheld. The timing, with Liverpool languishing eighth in the Premier League and recording just four wins in 15 across all competitions, could hardly be more precarious.
Our View – Anfield Index Analysis
Supporters will read this with a knot in their stomachs. The title defence already looked fragile, but a public rift with the club’s greatest modern goalscorer adds a layer of dread. Fans understand rotation, they understand age, they even understand the logic behind building a new era under Slot, but hearing Salah speak of broken trust feels like a deeper wound.
His words about being “thrown under the bus” will echo around Anfield far longer than any temporary dip in form. Supporters will fear that the relationship may be beyond repair, especially with Saudi clubs circling. Losing Salah in January, at a moment when the team have struggled to put together consistent attacking patterns, would feel like a self inflicted blow.
There is also anxiety around the wider dressing room. If Salah, the standard bearer for eight seasons, feels alienated, then what does that mean for others navigating their roles under Slot? Fans will back the manager, but they want unity above all else. The coming weeks feel decisive. Either this becomes a brief flare up or the defining crisis of Slot’s turbulent second season.
