Mohamed Salah’s astonishing post-match interview at Elland Road has reverberated through Liverpool and beyond. The Egyptian rarely speaks to UK media, but when he does he usually wants to make a point. On Saturday night he told reporters he was furious at being benched for the last three league games and said his relationship with head coach Arne Slot had “collapsed.” His full interview ran to 1,116 words — here is what mattered and what it means.
Why was he on the bench?
Salah: “I couldn’t believe it… I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes! The third time on the bench, I think for the first time in my career. I’m very, very disappointed… It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. The club made me 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.”
Analysis: When Salah renewed his contract in April there was a mutual belief he would be part of Liverpool’s future. He started the final seven league games of 2024–25 and the first 12 of this season, making him one of the few players to start every match under Slot early on. The decision to rest him in two of Liverpool’s opening Champions League away fixtures (Galatasaray, Eintracht Frankfurt) was framed as rotation to preserve him for bigger matches — he returned to start and score against Atletico and played against Real Madrid. But the three consecutive league matches on the bench have clearly stung. Salah’s claim of “broken promises” may overstate written guarantees, yet it’s understandable he feels singled out when other out-of-form players (Cody Gakpo, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister at times) retain starts despite inconsistent displays.
Relationship with Arne Slot
Salah: “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… It seems to me… someone doesn’t want me in the club.”
Analysis: These words are the most damaging. A senior player declaring no relationship with his head coach fuels suggestions Slot is “losing the dressing room.” But the reverse is also true — Slot, who has publicly backed Salah in the past, must now manage a player who says he feels betrayed. The remark piles pressure on Slot amid a poor run of form following last season’s title triumph.
Future and possible exit
Salah: He spoke of going to AFCON, said he’d be at Anfield to “say goodbye to the fans,” and refused to rule out a January move.
Analysis: Mentioning AFCON and emphasising the Brighton game at Anfield as potentially his last appearance before the winter window opens leaves the door ajar for a transfer. Salah declined to confirm interest from Saudi clubs but implicitly acknowledged outside offers exist; Al Ittihad’s reported £150m bid in 2023 underlines that financially viable suitors are available. He could have chosen to quash January exit talk but instead remained non-committal.
On being treated differently
Salah: “It is not acceptable for me… I think if this was somewhere else, every club would protect its player… I am the only one in this situation.” He invoked Harry Kane’s prolonged drought as a contrast with how the media and clubs treat other stars.
Analysis: Salah has long accepted that his confidence and larger-than-life personality are traded for output. When he was at his peak (34 goals, 23 assists last season) any perceived ego was tolerated because the results justified it. This season his output has dipped and other facets of his game — tracking back, defensive contribution at set pieces — are exposed. Still, sitting on the bench for full matches, particularly when Liverpool needed goals, did appear puzzling. Slot prefers forward lines that press intensely; Salah’s game is less about relentless pressing and more about finishing and linking play. Slot’s tactical priorities versus Salah’s strengths have created tension. Given Liverpool’s mixed form, experimenting with formations, or using Salah centrally at times, could have been considered.
On criticism and legacy
Salah: “I have done so much for this club… I’m the current top scorer in the Premier League… It hurts me… I thought I’m going to renew here and end my career here, but this is not according to the plan.”
Analysis: Salah recognises his achievements and feels the treatment undermines his standing. Pundits such as Jamie Carragher have been critical, with Carragher once saying Salah’s “legs had gone” after poor matches — comments Salah accepted would come. But Salah also notes Liverpool have gone three games unbeaten in his absence, which complicates his claim that he is being unfairly blamed.
Saudi interest and wage context
Salah declined to answer directly on Saudi interest, citing club consequences for doing so. Realistically, the only clubs able to match his reported earnings are in the Middle East, and previous high bids suggest genuine interest exists. Salah insists he still believes he can perform at the highest level and so is unlikely to publicly commit to a Saudi move when European options remain possible.
Who does he blame?
Salah twice said he didn’t know who wanted him out and refused to single out sporting director Richard Hughes, despite Hughes having led contract talks with Salah’s representative. By not naming names he left the speculation to run while avoiding a direct attack on the club’s hierarchy.
Communication and personal reaction
Salah: He said Slot told him he would not play in a pre-match meeting and that Slot knows how he feels. On whether he regretted signing a new deal, he said: “I will never regret it… I thought I’m going to renew here and end my career here.”
Analysis: Salah is adamant he feels disrespected rather than regretting his contract. He insists his bond with teammates remains strong — he refused to criticise colleagues and said players support him — which isolates the issue as being chiefly between him and the coaching staff, not the squad.
Tactical context and team form
Slot’s selection choices prioritise work-rate and pressing from forwards; that has left Salah on the outside of certain match plans. Liverpool’s defensive frailties — conceded from silly errors and set pieces — have persisted with or without Salah, which weakens the logic of making him the scapegoat. At the same time, Liverpool’s attack has lacked consistent cutting edge from several players; whether inserting Salah earlier would have changed recent outcomes is arguable.
Conclusion
Salah’s interview is blunt, personal and risky. He has openly questioned club promises, declared his relationship with the manager broken, suggested he feels targeted, and left the prospect of a January exit unclosed. For supporters the reaction will be mixed: sadness that a club legend feels disrespected, sympathy for a player whose form has dipped, or frustration at the way he chose to air grievances publicly. The club now faces a stark choice: back Arne Slot’s methods and selection decisions, or reconcile with a player who has been central to Liverpool’s recent success. Either way, the fallout will shape the coming weeks at Anfield.