Mo Salah statement: Wayne Rooney delivers brutal verdict on Liverpool winger's "grenade" to Arne Slot, suggests punishment

Wayne Rooney appears unimpressed by Mohamed Salah's latest remarks regarding Arne Slot and has suggested how the Liverpool boss should deal with the situation.

Tension between Salah and Slot has reportedly been building in recent months, with the winger once again questioning Liverpool's tactical approach following Friday's defeat at Aston Villa.

The Egypt international had already attracted attention earlier in the campaign, having voiced frustration in a mixed-zone interview at Elland Road in December after being benched for three consecutive Premier League matches by the Dutchman.

Relations between the pair appeared to improve following Salah's return from the Africa Cup of Nations, with the attacker regaining his place in the starting lineup before a recent muscle injury disrupted his momentum.

The 33-year-old returned as a substitute in Liverpool's 4-2 defeat at Villa Park on Friday before later posting on X that he wanted the Reds to "go back to being the heavy metal attacking team" - widely interpreted as a reference to Jurgen Klopp's style of play.

Wayne Rooney urges Arne Slot to give Mo Salah 'Sir Alex Ferguson treatment'

Discussing Liverpool's current situation, Rooney suggested that such public remarks would not have been tolerated during his time under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

The former England captain recalled his own fallout with Ferguson and hinted that Slot should adopt a similarly firm approach in handling Salah's comments.

Speaking on the Wayne Rooney Show, via the Daily Mail, Rooney said: "I find it sad at the end of what he's done and what he's achieved at Liverpool.

"It's not the point for him to come out and aim another dig at Slot. He wants to play heavy metal football, so he's basically saying he wants Jurgen Klopp football.

"Now I don't think Mo Salah can cope with that type of football anymore. I think his legs have gone to play at that high tempo and high intensity.

"If I was Arne Slot, I'd have him nowhere near the stadium in the last game. I had it with Alex Ferguson. I had a disagreement and fallout and at Alex Ferguson's last game at Old Trafford, he left me out of the squad for that reason.

"He's almost just dropped the grenade and said he doesn't trust and believe in Arne Slot and almost thrown his team-mates who are going to be there next season into an awkward position."

Salah announced his Liverpool departure back in March, bringing an end to an illustrious nine-year chapter at Anfield, with Sunday's home game against Brentford set to be his farewell match, though it remains to be seen whether Slot will yield to Rooney's suggestion.

Was Mo Salah justified in his Arne Slot criticism?

Liverpool have endured a sharp decline under Slot, who won the Premier League in his debut campaign last term despite minimal squad investment; Federico Chiesa was the only outfield signing of summer 2024, while Giorgi Mamardashvili did not join the first-team setup until 2025-26.

Roughly £446m of spending this term was meant to elevate an already title-winning squad, but that investment has yielded little on the pitch, with the Reds enduring one of their worst campaigns in recent memory.

Liverpool have lost 19 matches across all competitions and now hold an unwanted club record, conceding more goals (52) in a 38-game Premier League season than any previous Reds side, with one game still to play.

In that context, it is only natural for the Dutchman to face heavy criticism, but hearing it come from a member of the squad feels jarring, particularly given that Salah has previously benefited from the very system he is now questioning.

The Egyptian produced one of the most prolific seasons of his career under Slot last term, contributing a combined 57 goals and assists, which is a stark contrast to the 21 G/A he has managed this campaign.

While Salah has not exactly covered himself in glory with his own performances, his comments threaten to overshadow what should have been a heartwarming Anfield farewell and have also thrown Slot under the bus, with knock-on effects for the dressing room that could linger well beyond this season.

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