Liverpool forward, Mohamed Salah has ignited a full-blown crisis at Anfield after delivering a stunning, seven-and-a-half-minute outburst on Saturday night, accusing the club of betrayal, revealing a broken relationship with head coach Arne Slot, and hinting at a possible January exit.
Speaking after Liverpool’s chaotic 3-3 draw with Leeds United at Elland Road, a match he watched entirely from the bench, Salah said he felt “thrown under the bus” and unfairly painted as the club’s problem during their torrid run of form.
Before Salah’s interview became public, Slot had praised the forward’s professionalism after his initial benching at West Ham:
“He was very supportive for his teammates, handled himself really well during the day and yesterday in the session as well.”
But the manager is now under enormous pressure, with some insiders believing Salah’s comments amount to a direct challenge to the club hierarchy.
“The club has thrown me under the bus” – Salah
Salah, who has now been benched in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time in his Liverpool career, did not hold back:
“I could not believe I am sitting on the bench for 90 minutes. That’s the third time. It’s the first time in my career, I think.”
“Very disappointed, done so much for this club over years, especially last season, It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus.”
“That’s how I feel it.”
He continued:
“Someone wants me to get all the blame. [The] club promised me a lot in summer. Now I’m on bench so can say they haven’t kept those promises.”
“I used to have a good relationship [with Slot]. Now we don’t have any relationship and I don’t know why. [It] seems like someone does not want me in the club.”
The comments come at a time when the Premier League champions have collapsed in form, winning just four of their last 15 games in all competitions.
Salah Benched Again and Left Out Entirely at Elland Road
Saturday’s match at Leeds marked Salah’s third straight game without a starting place, a shocking new development for a player who had started 53 consecutive league matches before last week.
Slot hasn’t played the 33-year-old a single minute since the draw at Sunderland.
After full-time, Salah walked straight down the tunnel, later reappearing to speak to reporters in what became one of the most explosive interviews of his career.
Salah Plans Farewell Before AFCON
Salah will depart Liverpool on December 15 to join Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The forward revealed he has already prepared for what may be his last Anfield appearance:
“I call my mum and dad told them to come to the Brighton game. It doesn’t matter if I play or not. I’m going to enjoy it.”
“Just going to be at Anfield and say goodbye to the fans before the African Cup, because I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”
“I don’t accept this situation” – Salah says he has earned his place
The Liverpool legend, who has scored 250 goals in 420 appearances, insisted the club has failed to respect his contributions.
“It’s not acceptable to me to be fair. If I was somewhere else, every club would protect its players.”
“Now, it’s ‘Throw Mo under the bus because he is a problem in a team.’ I don’t think I am a problem.”
“I am not fighting for my position every day because I have earned it.”
He added:
“I am not bigger than the club. I am not bigger than anything, but I have earned it.”
Mo Salah on Hints of Saudi Arabia Move
Asked directly whether he could join the Saudi Pro League in January, Salah looked ahead cautiously:
“I don’t want to answer that question because club will take me in a different direction. I have done so much for this club.”
“I love the fans so much and love the club, I don’t know what is next.”
The Premier League’s current top scorer also vented about perceived double standards:
“I am scoring more than anyone in this generation since I came to the Premier League. I don’t think anyone else scored more.”
“Can I give an example? It’s silly, Harry Kane was not scoring for 10 games, maybe got one or two.”
“Everyone in the media was: ‘Harry will score for sure.’ Now it is: ‘Mo needs to be on the bench.’”
Relationship with Slot “gone”
One of Salah’s most surprising admissions was that he and Arne Slot no longer communicate and does not blame his teammates:
“There is no relationship [with Slot]. It was a very good relationship. Now there is no relationship.”
“I don’t feel let down by my teammates. These guys know how much I love them and how much I support them. There is much love between us.”
Regret over new contract? “Even the question hurts”
Salah signed a two-year contract extension in April, months before winning the Premier League title.
Now, he admits the situation has fallen apart:
“How bad I have to answer that. Even the question hurts, I will never regret signing for this club.”
“I thought I was signing and ending my career here. Now this is not according to the plan.”
He added:
“In my head, why should it end this way? Five months ago I was winning awards, now why go in this direction?”
What’s next? January exit looms
Salah will play Brighton next weekend and possibly his final match at Anfield before AFCON. By the time he returns in late January, Liverpool might already have decided his future.
And based on his own words, the winger himself doesn’t know what comes next:
“It is what it is. In football you never know.”
