Rooney's Radical Solution to Liverpool's Crisis
Liverpool manager Arne Slot is facing mounting pressure after his team suffered a shocking 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, marking their sixth Premier League loss in just seven matches. The result has seen the reigning champions plummet to 11th place in the table, prompting former England captain Wayne Rooney to propose a drastic solution.
The Case Against a Club Legend
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, the Manchester United legend directly addressed the situation surrounding Egyptian superstar Mohamed Salah. Salah failed to register a goal or an assist during the defeat to Forest, continuing a run of form that has fallen dramatically short of his exceptional 'Player of the Year' campaign last season.
Rooney did not hold back in his assessment, accusing the forward of not putting in the necessary defensive work. "If I was Slot, I'd try and make a big decision just so it has an impact on the rest of the team," Rooney stated. "Salah is not helping them defensively."
A Message to the Whole Squad
The core of Rooney's argument centres on the message Salah's continued presence in the starting eleven sends to other players. He questioned what it communicates to new signings and substitutes watching from the bench when a club legend is not seen to be putting in the required effort.
"If you're on the bench and you've seen him not running - and again he's a club legend and everything he's done for the club - but what message does that send to you?" Rooney asked, suggesting that dropping Salah could be the catalyst needed to shake up the underperforming squad.
Considering the Impact of Tragedy
While critical of the team's lack of fight, Rooney also pointed to a potential mitigating factor for the squad's collective struggles. He highlighted the tragic death of forward Diogo Jota in a car accident during the summer as an event that could be having a profound effect on the players.
"They're going through a hard time, aren't they?" Rooney said. "You've probably got to look at the effect of what sadly happened to Jota. What effect does that have on the players, because that's his team-mates? That surely has to have an effect."
Despite this acknowledgement, Rooney was clear that there is "no excuse for not fighting and not tackling" on the pitch. The pressure is now firmly on Arne Slot to find a way to reverse his team's fortunes, with Rooney's controversial advice presenting one of the most difficult decisions of his nascent Liverpool career.
