Arne Slot's tenure at Liverpool ended just over a week ago, with his second season marred by disappointing form and strained relationships with key senior players. New boss Andoni Iraola now faces the task of rebuilding bonds between the squad and supporters after Anfield became familiar with booing under Slot.
The most high-profile flashpoint was Slot's troubled dynamic with Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian star caused uproar after claiming he was thrown 'under the bus' following three consecutive omissions from the starting line-up in December 2025. After being benched for a match at Leeds, Salah said: 'I can't believe I'm sitting on the bench for 90 minutes. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.' He added that he and Slot 'don't have any relationship.'
Salah also publicly criticised the club's standards via social media after a 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa in May, writing: 'I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear... Winning some games here and there is not what Liverpool should be about.'
Another player who clashed with Slot was former full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who left for Real Madrid last summer. During an early-season match against Brentford in 2024, Alexander-Arnold appeared unhappy after being substituted with 18 minutes remaining while Liverpool led 2-0. It was the second time in Slot's opening weeks that the defender objected to being taken off, having shown frustration against Ipswich Town in Slot's first Premier League game.
Slot acknowledged the incident, saying: 'He didn't look that happy after being taken off? I can understand that. Every player wants to play 90 minutes.'
