Former Man Utd striker and England captain, Wayne Rooney, has accused Mohamed Salah of being “selfish” and says Liverpool should drop the forward for their final game of the season after his public criticism of manager Arne Slot.
Salah stirred debate after Liverpool’s 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa F.C. by insisting the club must return to the “heavy metal” football associated with former boss Jürgen Klopp.
“That is the football I know how to play, and that is the identity that needs to be recovered and kept for good.
“It cannot be negotiable, and everyone who joins this club should adapt to it,” Salah wrote on social media.
The comments were widely viewed as a swipe at Slot’s tactical approach, and Rooney believes the Liverpool star went too far.
“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,” Rooney said on the Wayne Rooney Show on Monday.
Rooney also questioned whether Salah is still capable of playing the high-intensity style he appears to want restored at Anfield.
“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,” Rooney said.
The former Manchester United captain added that, if he were Slot, he would leave Salah out of Liverpool’s farewell game against Brentford.
“If I were Arne Slot, I’d have him nowhere near the stadium in the last game.
“He’s almost just dropped the grenade and said he doesn’t trust and believe in Arne Slot,” he averred.
Rooney compared the situation to his own fallout with legendary United manager Alex Ferguson.
“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 explained.
Salah, who will leave Liverpool at the end of the season after scoring 257 goals and winning six major trophies, has endured a mixed campaign despite helping the club win the Premier League title in Slot’s first season.
Rooney believes the winger’s recent remarks have damaged what should have been a celebratory farewell.
“You can’t publicly disrespect him twice the way he has and get away with it.
“Of course, he deserves a good send-off, but does he deserve it just for this? It’s a shame to see one of the great icons of Premier League players leave the Premier League probably in this situation,” Rooney added.
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