Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has issued a stark warning to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, asserting that the Egyptian forward is jeopardizing his storied legacy at Anfield through his recent public criticisms of the club. The comments come in response to Salah’s post-match statements following Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United, where the 33-year-old claimed he felt “thrown under the bus” by the club and revealed a fractured relationship with head coach Arne Slot.
Rooney, speaking on his latest podcast episode, characterized Salah’s remarks as “disrespectful” and urged manager Arne Slot to demonstrate authority by excluding the Egyptian international from upcoming Champions League and Premier League fixtures. “Arne Slot must show his authority and pull him in to say ‘you are not traveling with the team, what you said is not acceptable’,” Rooney stated. “Take yourself off to Afcon and let everything calm down.”
The situation has escalated rapidly as Liverpool struggles through a disappointing season, currently sitting ninth in the Premier League table with just seven wins from their opening fifteen games. Salah’s contribution has diminished significantly this campaign, with only four goals in thirteen top-flight appearances—a stark contrast to his 29-goal performance that propelled Liverpool to the title last season.
Rooney particularly criticized Salah’s assertion that he shouldn’t have to “fight for my position because I earned it,” calling this attitude arrogant and detrimental to team morale. “Time catches up with all of us,” Rooney noted, “and this season he hasn’t looked at his best, at his sharpest. You want to see him roll his sleeves up and say ‘ok then, I’ll show you’.”
The former England captain suggested that Salah’s comments have created negative energy around the training ground and damaged relationships with teammates, management, and fans alike. While acknowledging Salah’s incredible contributions to Liverpool—250 goals in 420 appearances since joining from Roma in 2017—Rooney believes the player will eventually regret his public outburst.
The situation presents a critical juncture for both player and club, with Rooney emphasizing that the matter “needs to be sorted out quickly either way”—either through reconciliation or separation.