Mohamed Salah has sensationally claimed he has been “thrown under the bus” and has no relationship with Arne Slot as the Liverpool star revealed next week’s match against Brighton could be his last game at Anfield.
The 33-year-old has established himself as one of the Reds’ greatest ever players since joining from Roma in 2017, winning two Premier League titles and a Champions League among a string of honours.
Salah swept up individual awards last season but has struggled to hit those heights this term, with boss Slot naming him among the substitutes in Liverpool’s last three matches.
The Egypt international was left on the bench as the Reds drew 3-3 with Leeds at Elland Road, where he spoke to the media in an explosive seven-and-a-half minute interview after the match.
“I don’t know what to say,” Salah said. “It’s funny but I couldn’t believe it. It is a really disappointing result for us as a team because we expect to win a game like that.”
Asked by the Press Association what he could not believe, Salah said: “That I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes! The third time on the bench, I think for the first time in my career.
“I’m very, very disappointed to be fair. 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. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.
“I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am on the bench for three games so I can’t say they keep the promise.
“I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager, and all of a sudden we don’t have any relationship.
“I don’t know why but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.
“This club, I always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much I will always do. I called my mum yesterday – you guys didn’t know if I would start or not, but I knew.
“Yesterday I said to them, come to the Brighton game. I don’t know if I am going to play or not but I am going to enjoy it.
“In my head, I’m going to enjoy that game because I don’t know what is going to happen now.
“I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go the Africa Cup of Nations. I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”
Salah, who will join up with Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations on December 15, said he does not understand why last season’s best player “has to defend himself in front of the media and fans”.
“It is not acceptable for me,” he said. “I don’t know why this is happening to me. I don’t get it. I think if this was somewhere else, every club would protect its player.
“How I see it now is like you throw Mo under the bus because he is the problem in the team now. But I don’t think I am the problem. I have done so much for this club.
“The respect, I want to get. I don’t have to go every day fighting for my position because I earned it. I am not bigger than anyone but I earned my position. It’s football. It is what it is.”
Asked if this situation hurts, Salah said: “Absolutely. After what I have done for the club it really hurts.
“You can imagine, really. After going from home to the club and you don’t know if you are starting. I know the club too well, I have been here many years.
“Tomorrow (Jamie) Carragher is going to go for me again and again and that’s fine.”
Salah sidestepped a question about interest from Saudi Arabia – “I don’t want to answer this question, because the club is going to take me to a different direction,” he said – and does not know what will happen.
“I cannot say it is impossible (to solve), but from what I feel, I have done so much for the club, I love the fans and the club so much,” he said. “But I don’t know what is going to happen next.”
Salah laughed when asked if he regretted signing a new deal – “imagine how bad that I have to answer it, honestly” – and insisted there is no issue with his team-mates.
But the Liverpool star has problems with people higher up in the club, including boss Slot.
“Yeah, there’s no relationship between us,” he added. “It was very good relationship and now all of a sudden there is no relationship.”
