2026-05-18 10:35:38
Wayne Rooney has called for Liverpool to drop Mohamed Salah from his Anfield farewell for his “selfish” social media post.
The Egyptian forward urged the Reds to return to being a “heavy metal attacking that opponents fear” following their 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa last Friday (15.05.26) but Rooney feels that manager Arne Slot should bar him from the squad for what will be his final outing as a Liverpool player against Brentford next weekend.
Speaking on his Wayne Rooney Show podcast on the BBC, the former England captain 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 any more. I think his legs have gone to play at that high tempo and high intensity.”
Rooney cited the example of being left out of the squad for Sir Alex Ferguson’s final match as Manchester United boss in 2013 following a disagreement with the legendary coach.
He said: “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 and let them have to deal with that as well and put them into a position.”
Rooney believes that Salah has made the comments – which come after he previously took aim at Slot last December – in an attempt to “vindicate” himself after what has been a disappointing final season of his glittering Anfield career.
He said: “I think Salah’s trying to vindicate himself and make himself feel better because he’s had a very poor season.
“So I think he’s been very selfish in what he’s done in the two occasions. It’s a shame and fans will be on his side, but I think when you look deeper into it and having been in a dressing room in a similar situation to that as well, Mo Salah knows exactly what he’s doing.
“That’s your manager. You can’t publicly disrespect him twice the way he has and get away with it. And that’s where if I was Arne Slot, I’d have to pull rank and just say, listen, you’re not coming anywhere near the place, whether you like it or not. I really doubt he will do it, but I think he should.
“Of course he deserves a good send off but does he deserve it just for this? It’s the second time he’s done it. It’s just a shame to see one of the great icons of Premier League players leave the Premier League probably in this situation.”
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