Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah said he was “thrown under the bus” after storming into the club over his medical treatment and threatening to leave after watching Saturday’s 3-3 Premier League draw with Leeds United from the bench.
In incendiary post-match comments, the 33-year-old Egyptian slammed the club and manager Arne Slott, telling reporters he felt he had been made a scapegoat for their poor start to the season and hinted he might not remain at Anfield for long.
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“To be fair, it’s very disappointing. I’ve done a lot for this club and everyone can see that over the years, especially last season,” Salah told reporters in the mixed zone after the match, before criticizing the club’s leadership.
“I don’t know, but it feels like the club is throwing me under the bus. That’s how I feel, how I feel.
“I think it’s clear that someone is trying to put all the blame on me. The club promised me in the summer. They made a lot of promises, but so far nothing.”
The Egyptian, who signed a two-year contract extension in April, became an iconic figure during his eight years at Liverpool, winning the Premier League twice and scoring 250 goals in all competitions for the club.
However, after an indifferent start to the season, he has started on the bench in the last three games, playing just 45 minutes.
Liverpool visit Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday before facing Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. These two games could mark the end of Salah’s time on Merseyside.
“Yesterday, I called my dad and mom and told them to come to the Brighton game. It doesn’t matter whether I play or not, I’m going to enjoy it. We’ll see what happens, but in my head, whether I play or not, whether I’m on the bench or not, I’m going to enjoy the game,” said Salah, who will represent Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations on December 15.
“Right now we don’t know what’s going to happen, so before we go to the Africa Cup of Nations I’m going to be at Anfield and say goodbye to the fans because you never know what’s going to happen when you’re there.”
“We needed a different player.”
Speaking after the draw, Slott said he kept Salah on the bench because he felt the team needed something different.
“We were leading 2-0, we were leading 3-2. At that point it was important to control the game, we didn’t need a goal at that point,” he said.
“Usually when we needed a goal, like last week against Sunderland, we brought Mo on. When we needed a win, we needed another player like Wataru (Endo). He (Endo) gave everything.”
“We have to accept the situation we are in. Mo’s short-term future is to play in the African Cup of Nations, but before that we will play for Inter Milan,” he concluded.
Salah scored 34 goals and provided 18 assists in 52 games across all competitions as Liverpool won the Premier League last season, but this season he has five goals and three assists in 19 games as the team has struggled.
The forward suggested that his relationship with Slott has completely broken down.
“I had a good relationship with the manager and then all of a sudden we no longer have a relationship. From my point of view, from my point of view, I don’t understand why someone wouldn’t want me at the club,” he said.
Since joining Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017, Salah has become the club’s third-highest scorer behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.
“I don’t think I’m the problem. I’ve done a lot for this club with the respect I want to get,” he said. “And now that I’ve earned my position, I don’t have to fight for my position every day.”
