Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United at Elland Road on Saturday was almost more notable for what didn’t happen than the chaos on the pitch. Benched for the third consecutive match, club legend Mohamed Salah went as an unused sub for the second time in the last three matches. Salah has now failed to register a goal contribution in seven consecutive matches in all competitions, and he only has five goals and three assists all season, while Liverpool have slipped, not just out of the title race, but out of the European places altogether.
It’s been a trying season for the Reds, and following the draw, Salah has opened the door to whether this could be the end of his time at Liverpool. While Salah has been a critical part of Liverpool’s attack, scoring 29 goals and assisting 18 more en route to winning the title last season, being on the bench these past few games is getting to him, and the Egyptian sounded off following the loss to Leeds.
“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 said.
While Salah didn’t specify who is trying to get him out of the club, he did admit that his relationship with manager Arne Slot has deteriorated this season.
“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,” Salah said. “I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.”
Salah leaves for the Africa Cup of Nations to represent Egypt on Dec. 15, and if they advance to the final, he wouldn’t return to Liverpool until after Jan. 18 of 2026, when the winter transfer window will be open. Despite just signing a contract extension with Liverpool at the end of last season, this could be the end of Salah at Anfield. He still has two games before AFCON, an away trip to Inter in the Champions League on Tuesday, followed by a home clash with Brighton on Dec. 13
Comments like the ones made Saturday are tough ones to come back from, and they didn’t end there for Salah.
“I said to [my family], 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,” Salah said. “I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go to the Africa Cup. I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”
With previous interest from the Saudi Pro League, if Liverpool were to decide that it’s time to move on, they could likely find a suitor to take the Egyptian. Even at 33, Salah has more to give, but Father Time is catching up to him in the Premier League, so a January move could benefit all parties.
“In football, you never know. I don’t accept this situation. I have done so much for this club,” Salah said when asked if this would be his last game for the club.
It seems like Salah is willing to fight for his place at Liverpool, but it has created quite a situation for Slot and the club. Playing Salah after this almost makes it seem like Slot is caving to him, but then not selecting Salah would deepen the spiral that is happening. When Slot took over for Jurgen Klopp ahead of last season, he was expected to face adversity, but with the Reds riding a smooth journey to the title, he avoided the worst of it.
That all seems to be coming to a head this season, as with Liverpool not winning, cracks in the foundation of the club are there as they struggle to integrate Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. Previously, this was Salah’s team, and with the additions and decisions made, it has morphed into Slot’s team. That’d be one thing if Liverpool were keeping pace with the title contenders, but if it comes down to Salah versus Slot in a power struggle, it’s unclear what direction the front office would lean.
Liverpool have rarely been a team to dismiss a manager in the middle of a season, especially when someone has built up as much goodwill as Slot did in his first year in charge, but something also will need to give here between the duo if the situation is fixed. If it doesn’t get fixed, Liverpool’s issues from this season will grow and they could find themselves looking at quite a long rebuild down the road.
