Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney claims that Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is damaging his legacy.
Salah expressed on Saturday that he felt as though he had been “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool and indicated that his connection with head coach Arne Slot had deteriorated.
Rooney thinks that Slot needs to assert his authority and exclude Egypt international Salah from Tuesday’s Champions League match against Inter Milan and the home game with Brighton next Saturday.
“Arne Slot has to show his authority and pull him in and say, ‘You are not travelling with the team; what you said is not acceptable,'” said Rooney in his latest podcast episode.
“Take yourself off to AFCON and let everything calm down. If I were him, there would be no way he would be on the team.”
Rooney stated that Salah must resolve his issues with Slot or depart from Liverpool.
“It needs to be sorted out quickly either way,” he added.
Salah, 33, has netted 250 goals in 420 appearances for Liverpool but has not started the last three games and was an unused substitute in Saturday’s 3-3 draw against Leeds United.
Following the match, Salah expressed to reporters at Elland Road, “I have mentioned several times that my relationship with the manager is strong, yet now it seems we no longer have that relationship.”
“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.”
Salah, whose 29 goals in the Premier League aided Liverpool’s title win last season, signed a new two-year deal in April.
Rooney wondered why Salah, who joined Liverpool from Roma in 2017, would make his remarks public.
“He is absolutely destroying his legacy at Liverpool,” added the five-time Premier League winner.
“It would be sad for him to throw it all away. He’s gone about it all wrong.”
Liverpool has struggled to replicate the success of Slot’s first season in command. They are ninth in the rankings, ten points behind leaders Arsenal, having won just seven of their first 15 games.
Salah has four goals in 13 top-flight outings this season.
Rooney criticized Salah’s statement that “I don’t have to go every day fighting for my position because I earned it.”
The former English forward added, “Time catches up with all of us, and this season he hasn’t looked at his best, at his sharpest.
“You want to see him roll his sleeves up and say, ‘Ok then, I’ll show you.’
“To have the arrogance to say he doesn’t have to earn his place because he has already earned his place, you need to be at your best every week to try and stay in the team.
“If I were one of his teammates, I wouldn’t be happy at all with what he said because this is where Liverpool needs him most.
“If anything, he has thrown Liverpool under the bus with his words.
“He’s been absolutely incredible for Liverpool, but this was disrespectful to his teammates, manager, and fans.
“I would imagine he will be very quiet around the training ground, and that will bring a negative energy in itself to the new players Arne has bedded in.
“I am sure over the next couple of years he will regret saying what he has.”
