Mohamed Salah’s outburst against Liverpool has consumed Premier League audiences after a dramatic draw at Leeds, with one former Red reminding the Egyptian of his rank
Liverpool poster boy Mohamed Salah has thrown the cat among the pigeons following his fiery outburst towards the club amid more disappointment at Leeds. That’s after he suggested there’s an Anfield conspiracy working against him, leading one former Red to use Lionel Messi in a takedown of his comments.
The Egyptian was an unused substitute for the second time in three Premier League outings on Saturday. And he could only watch as a spectator as Ao Tanaka’s 96th-minute equaliser rescued a 3-3 draw for Leeds at Elland Road.
Salah, 33, isn’t devoid of supporters at Anfield, however, after Virgil van Dijk recently came to the star’s defence. Mirror Football breaks down the latest around Liverpool as Arne Slot & Co. desperately seek to turn the ship around.
Salah told “you’re not Messi”
A third straight benching at Leeds proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back for Salah. And it wasn’t long after Liverpool’s latest missed opportunity that he tore into his club and manager, stunning fans in the process.
“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,” said Salah after Saturday’s draw. “It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus.
READ MORE: Former Liverpool star sends brutal reality check to Mohammed Salah: ‘You are not Messi’READ MORE: Gary Neville claims Arne Slot ‘cannot trust’ Liverpool stars as crisis continues
“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 kept 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 that someone doesn’t want me at the club.”
Those comments didn’t sit right with former Reds striker Stan Collymore, who took to X in response to Salah’s plea. And there was little sympathy for the winger as Collymore reminded the player of his standing.
“Mo Salah. A very long read,” wrote the 54-year-old, who scored 35 goals in 81 games for Liverpool. “I think I know a little about LFC, its supporters and how they view their club. Shaped of course by [Bill] Shankly then [Bob] Paisley, Kenny [Dalglish], Jurgen [Klopp] and now Slot.
“One thing remains constant, perhaps more than any other English club, it’s always the club first and last, players and managers add their DNA to the club, but the club trumps the individual.”
Collymore went on to credit Salah as being among the club’s “pantheon of greats” and empathised with his current situation. However, he also highlighted how Slot has earned a right to respect after winning the league in his debut season, delivering a reminder to Salah that he may be speaking above his station.
He continued: “Only in the madness of 2025 modern football would the cult of personalities not only question a reasonable conclusion of ‘you’re not playing well, here’s a spell on the bench’, but Mo maybe has almost tricked himself onto elevating himself to the untouchable status of Messi or [Cristiano] Ronaldo, players who could, if they chose, literally do and say as they pleased in the last decade. Mo isn’t them, and Liverpool as I said, isn’t that club either.”
Collymore went on to map out a potential route to salvation from here, which isn’t helped by the fact Liverpool now sit ninth in the league. The Reds will need all their biggest stars committed to salvage some success from this season, and Salah’s discontent will prove another unwelcome obstacle.
Van Dijk’s backing
Salah’s rant came just a few days after fellow Anfield veteran Van Dijk commented on how the club “needs” Salah to succeed. However, even those within the dressing room may be newly unnerved by his comments.
“We need him and he will still be important like he has been,” said the Dutchman ahead of the trip to Elland Road. “He is still a fantastic player. We still have to remember there is a reason why he has been so successful at the club and we have to respect that. I need him around as one of the leaders. I’m not worried.
“He’s disappointed but that’s absolutely normal as if you’re not disappointed when you’re not playing two games in a row then there is an issue as well. But it’s onto the next now.
That sentiment of “onto the next” has become all too common at Liverpool amid the struggles for form. Liverpool’s record now reads just four wins from their last 15 outings in all competitions, with fears growing they may struggle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Like Salah, Van Dijk signed a new two-year contract at the end of last season to extend his stay at Anfield. In hindsight, however, the club may harbour some regret from awarding lucrative new deals to two of those who have perhaps underwhelmed the most this term.
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
