EPL: Rooney claims Salah is “destroying his legacy” at Liverpool after outburst
Wayne Rooney has issued a blunt warning to Mohamed Salah, insisting the Liverpool forward is destroying the legacy he built at Anfield through his recent public outbursts.
Salah claimed over the weekend that he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club and that his relationship with manager Arne Slot had collapsed.
Rooney believes the comments crossed a line and that Slot must assert control immediately.
Rooney urges Slot to take control
Rooney said Slot should exclude Salah from Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Inter Milan and the upcoming Premier League fixture against Brighton.
“Arne Slot has to show his authority,” Rooney said on his podcast. “Pull him in and tell him he’s not travelling. What he said is not acceptable. Take yourself off to AFCON and let everything calm down. There’s no way he would be in the team if it was me.”
Rooney added that Salah must either resolve his issues with Slot or prepare to leave Liverpool altogether.
Salah’s comments spark fallout
Salah, 33, has not started Liverpool’s last three matches and watched Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds from the bench.
After the game, he expressed frustration over what he described as a total breakdown in communication with Slot and feeling scapegoated by the club.
He said: “It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus… I think it’s very clear someone wanted me to get all of the blame.”
Recall Salah signed a new two-year contract in April and has scored 250 goals in 420 appearances since joining from Roma in 2017. However, he has only four goals in 13 Premier League games this season.
“He’s throwing it all away”
Rooney questioned Salah’s decision to go public, warning that the fallout is damaging his legacy.
“He’s absolutely destroying his legacy at Liverpool,” Rooney said. “It would be sad for him to throw it all away. He’s gone about it all wrong.”
Rooney also criticised Salah’s claim that he “doesn’t have to fight every day” for his place.
“Time catches up with all of us,” Rooney said. “This season he hasn’t looked at his best. You need to earn your place every week.”
He added that Salah’s comments were disrespectful to team-mates, the manager and the fans, and could create a toxic atmosphere around the squad.
Liverpool under pressure
Liverpool sit ninth in the Premier League, 10 points off leaders Arsenal, and have struggled to replicate the form of Slot’s first season. Rooney believes Salah’s outburst has only added unnecessary turmoil.
“I’m sure he’ll regret saying what he has,” Rooney concluded. “This is when Liverpool need him most, and instead he has thrown Liverpool under the bus.”
