Mohamed Salah’s latest public criticism of Liverpool has placed head coach Arne Slot in an awkward spot, with the Egyptian forward’s future at Anfield now overshadowing the final match of a turbulent season. Salah took to social media on Saturday to criticise the direction of the club under Slot, prompting questions over whether he will be disciplined for a repeat offence.
The post drew support from several players, including Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai and Andy Robertson, as well as some of last summer’s signings who have struggled to justify their fees. It was Salah’s third public criticism in six months, following an incendiary interview in Leeds that led to him being dropped for the Champions League trip to Inter in December.
Liverpool’s season has been marked by 19 defeats and a record 52 goals conceded in a 38-game Premier League campaign. Friday’s 4-2 loss at Aston Villa exposed the structural flaws Slot has failed to remedy, and the manager’s stock has fallen sharply among supporters, with Anfield turning on his style of play during the recent home game against Chelsea.
With Champions League qualification still not mathematically secured, dropping Salah for disciplinary reasons could prove too risky. Liverpool have failed to win any of the nine league games in 2026 that Salah has not started. Victory over Brentford on the final day will be required if Bournemouth beat Manchester City, though a City win would confirm Liverpool’s top-five finish without their involvement.
Slot may still choose to omit Salah to assert authority, but doing so with nothing at stake would risk inflaming a potential mutiny and poisoning what could be a farewell occasion for the club’s legendary forward. Liverpool agreed to let Salah leave on a free transfer this summer despite his contract running for another 12 months, a decision in which Slot was involved.
Salah made no direct mention of Slot in his post, instead invoking the memory of Jürgen Klopp and calling for the return of “heavy metal attacking football”. However, his attempts to undermine the current manager while preparing to depart have been widely viewed as distasteful, leaving Slot to grin and bear yet another challenge in a season of unprecedented difficulty.
