ELLAND ROAD — In an explosive interview after being left out of the Liverpool team for the third successive match, Mohamed Salah insisted he feels he has been thrown under the bus, revealing his relationship with Arne Slot has broken down and “someone” doesn’t want him at the club.
The Egyptian did not even come off the bench as Liverpool dropped yet more points in their current struggles at Elland Road, drawing 3-3 after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser.
Salah then made a beeline for waiting journalists after the match, and unloaded his frustrations to stunned reporters.
“I don’t know what to say,” he said. “It’s funny but I couldn’t believe it. That 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 to be fair. 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. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus.
“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 in the bench for three games so I can’t say they keep 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, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.”
As reported by The i Paper this week, Saudi Pro League clubs believe they can persuade the 33-year-old to finally move to the Middle East in January.
And an emotional Salah conceded, with him due to head to the Africa Cup of Nations after Liverpool’s next game against Brighton next Saturday, that he may not return to Merseyside when he reports back.
“This club, I always support it,” he added. “My kids will always support it. I love the club so much I will always do. I called my mum yesterday – you guys didn’t know if I would start or not, but I knew.
“Yesterday I said to them, 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 heads, I’m going to enjoy that game because I don’t know what is going to happen now.
“I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go to [Afcon]. I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.
“It is not acceptable for me. I don’t know why this is happening to me. I don’t get it. I think if this was somewhere else, every club would protect its player. How I see it now is like you throw Mo under the bus because he is the problem in the team now. But I don’t think I am the problem. I have done so much for this club.
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“I am top goalscorer, best player, winning the league in such a style, but I am the one who has to defend himself in front of the media and fans. After what I have done for the club it really hurts. Tomorrow (Jamie) Carragher is going to go for me again and again and that’s fine.
“I don’t want to answer this question (Saudi move) because the club is going to take me to a different direction.”
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