The dramatic 3-3 draw at Elland Road on 7/12 marked the third consecutive time Salah was benched by Coach Arne Slot. During this three-match streak, the Egyptian forward only played once, coming on in the second half of the 1-1 draw against Sunderland.
This incident reportedly left Salah displeased, leading him to publicly declare he was being treated unfairly by Liverpool. The 33-year-old forward believes someone at the club wants to place all blame on him, and he asserted that his relationship with Coach Slot has deteriorated.
"If you want something, knock on the coach's door, meet the owners, do whatever is necessary to express your dissatisfaction," former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy stated on BBC Match of the Day when asked about Salah's reaction.
"But doing it this way, he is causing trouble for the entire team and for the coach, while making everything revolve around himself. A player should not do that. Whether others agree or not, Salah should not address the issue in this manner," Murphy concluded.
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Salah on the Elland Road pitch during warm-ups before Liverpool's 3-3 draw against Leeds on 7/12. *Photo: AFP*
Legend Michael Owen expressed understanding for Salah's feelings but disagreed with the star's handling of the situation. "I understand how you feel," Owen wrote on X. "You have carried this team for a long time and won every possible title. But this is a team sport, and you cannot say such things publicly. You are about to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations in one week. Shouldn't you just grit your teeth, try to enjoy playing for the national team, and then see how things are when you return?"
Salah's streak of 53 consecutive Premier League starts for Liverpool ended last week when he was dropped from the starting lineup against West Ham. To date, he has scored 250 goals in 420 appearances for Liverpool, including 5 goals in 18 matches across all competitions this season. Earlier this year, Salah signed a 2,5-year contract extension after significantly contributing to the 2024-2025 Premier League championship.
Speaking to the media after the Leeds United match, Salah asserted that this was the first time in his career he had been benched for three consecutive matches. "Honestly, I am very disappointed," Salah stated. "I have given so much to the club over the years, especially last season. Now I am benched without understanding why. It feels like the club is throwing me off a cliff. That is how I feel. Clearly, someone wants to place all the blame on me."
The Egyptian forward also suggested that Liverpool had broken promises to him. He recounted: "The club made many promises in the summer, but now I have been benched for three matches, so I cannot say they kept their word. I have repeatedly affirmed that I have a good relationship with the head coach, yet suddenly, we no longer have any relationship. I do not know why, but for me, the way I see it, it seems someone does not want me to stay at this club."
The draw against Leeds left Liverpool in 8th place after 15 rounds. Salah is set to leave the team on 15/12 to join Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations. The North African team will remain in the tournament until at least 29/12, with the final scheduled for 18/1/2026.
If Egypt wins the tournament, Salah will miss 6 Liverpool matches and can only return when the team travels to France to face Marseille in the Champions League on 22/1/2026. However, English media now suggests that Salah appears to have no future at Anfield.
Ha Phuong (via ESPN)
