Mohamed Salah has launched an extraordinary verbal assault on Liverpool, accusing the club of throwing him "under the bus" and declaring his relationship with manager Arne Slot to be non-existent. The Egyptian superstar's incendiary comments, made after being left on the bench for the dramatic 3-3 draw with Leeds United at Elland Road in December 2025, have plunged his Anfield future into serious doubt.
A Fiery Interview and Damaging Accusations
In a remarkable post-match interview that evoked memories of Cristiano Ronaldo's explosive exit from Manchester United, Salah did not hold back. He claimed the club had broken promises made to him and suggested an unnamed figure at Liverpool was seeking to make him a scapegoat for their struggles. Most damagingly, he stated outright that he has no relationship with current boss Arne Slot.
The forward, who has scored just five goals in 19 appearances this season, hinted his departure for the African Cup of Nations in 2025 could become a permanent farewell. "If I speak, there will be fire," Salah had once warned. In December 2025, he finally spoke, and the flames are now threatening to consume his legendary Liverpool career.
Tactical Shifts and a Loss of Power
Salah's demotion is not without on-field justification. Analyst Richard Jolly notes that Liverpool are unbeaten in the last four Premier League and Champions League games Salah has been benched, while they have lost seven of the last nine he has started. The tactical turning point appears to have been a Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven, where Mauro Junior easily bypassed Salah to set up a crucial goal.
Since then, Slot has installed Dominik Szoboszlai on the right wing, with the team defending in two compact banks of four. Szoboszlai, though not a natural winger, has effectively taken Salah's spot and emerged as Liverpool's standout performer this campaign. Salah's interview, focusing solely on his own grievance, notably ignored this tactical context.
Broken Relationships and an Uncertain Future
The core of Salah's frustration seems to be a shattered sense of status. He enjoyed preferential treatment under Jurgen Klopp, repaying it with goals and assists, including a stellar 29-goal, 18-assist Premier League season in 2024/25 under Slot. However, the dynamic has irrevocably shifted.
His claim of a non-existent relationship with Slot is particularly toxic, suggesting he believes he can outlast a manager who has lost nine of his last 15 games. However, as seen when Ronaldo criticised Erik ten Hag, such attacks can sometimes bolster support for the manager within the club.
The club's hierarchy, including sporting director Richard Hughes and FSG CEO Michael Edwards, now face a major dilemma. They authorised a huge contract extension for Salah in April 2025, despite a policy wary of big money for ageing stars. With his form declining, a lucrative £150m offer from Al-Ittihad in 2023 now looks a distant memory, though Saudi interest may be revived.
Whether Salah's future lies in Saudi Arabia, on the Liverpool bench, or away from the squad entirely following his disloyal comments, one outcome feels increasingly inevitable: the reign of Anfield's Egyptian King is in its painful, final chapter.
