Mohamed Salah was put on blast by Michael Owen after the Liverpool forward launched an astonishing attack on the club and manager Arne Slot following the 3-3 draw with Leeds. Salah, who’s been benched for three games on the spin, accused Liverpool of “throwing him under the bus” and said he no longer knows where he stands at Anfield.
The Egyptian, speaking in a tense post match interview, said he’d been promised a major role this season but is now being frozen out without explanation. His comments, carried by The Times, sparked immediate fallout, with supporters and pundits stunned by the blunt tone and timing of the rant.
Salah insisted he has earned better treatment after years of carrying the club, especially last season when he dragged them through grim spells almost single handedly. He went as far as suggesting someone inside Liverpool wants him gone, saying he believes the blame for recent results is being dumped on him unfairly.
“I can’t believe it, I’m very, very disappointed,” Salah said. “I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season. Now I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why. 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.”
The forward also hinted at a complete breakdown in his relationship with Slot, saying he used to respect the Dutchman but now they barely speak. He added that he doesn’t know why the change happened, but he feels unwanted and pushed to the side at a time when the team needs him.
Salah also hinted he might not stick around much longer, saying next week’s clash with Brighton could be his last before he heads off to AFCON duty with Egypt. There’s growing speculation he might angle for a move in January if the situation hasn’t cooled down.
Michael Owen, who played up front for Liverpool in his day, admitted he understood Salah’s frustration but told him he’d gone too far by airing it in public. “Oh Mo Salah. I can imagine how you feel. You’ve carried this team for a long time and won everything there is to win. But this is a team game and you simply can’t publicly say what you’ve said,” Owen posted on X.
Owen urged Salah to grit his teeth and focus on international duty rather than torching bridges. “You’re going to AFCON in a week. Surely you bite your lip, enjoy representing your country and see how the land lies when you get back?”
Liverpool, who sit awkwardly in the table with pressure building around Slot, face Brighton next before a run of tough fixtures. With Salah’s future suddenly uncertain, it’s shaping up to be another messy chapter in a season that already feels too dramatic for its own good.