Liverpool: Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has been labeled as "selfish" by former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, who suggests that Salah should be excluded from the squad for Liverpool's final match of the season against Brentford at Anfield.
According to Ghana Web, Salah recently emphasized the need for Liverpool to return to their "heavy metal attacking team" identity following a 4-2 loss to Aston Villa, which placed their Champions League hopes in jeopardy. Salah expressed these views in a social media post that has been interpreted as a criticism of Liverpool's head coach, Arne Slot.
Rooney, speaking on the Wayne Rooney Show, highlighted Salah's achievements at Liverpool, which include scoring 257 goals and securing six major trophies over nine years. However, Rooney believes that Salah's recent comments were uncalled for and suggested that his physical ability to play high-tempo football has diminished. Rooney drew from his own experience with Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, stating that he would leave Salah out of the squad for the final match.
Salah, who has announced his intention to leave Liverpool at the end of the season, has experienced a decline in form, scoring only 12 times in 40 games this season compared to 29 goals in the previous season when Liverpool won the Premier League title under Slot.
Rooney criticized Salah for trying to justify his actions in what he sees as a poor season, suggesting that Salah's public criticisms of Slot were inappropriate and detrimental to team morale. Rooney also questioned whether Slot should face consequences for Liverpool's performances this season, noting a significant change in the team's playing style and the need to maintain fan engagement.
The former Manchester United striker expressed mixed feelings about Slot's future at Liverpool, acknowledging the success of the previous season but also pointing out signs of player discontent and underperformance this year.