Mohamed Salah: Liverpool star’s public attack piles pressure on Arne Slot

Slot has not had to look for trouble as Liverpool have slumped this season despite spending almost £450 million in the summer.

But the biggest one came when Salah decided to go public with apparent anger over his treatment.

Salah uses his words carefully and strategically. In most matches since his arrival at Anfield from Roma in 2017, he has refused requests to speak to waiting reporters.

This only changes at Salah’s behest; just as when he came into the teeth of Storm Bert in front of St Mary’s last November, scoring twice in a 3-2 win at Southampton and announcing that he was “probably more out than in” at Liverpool due to the slow pace of contract negotiations.

The impasse was resolved when he signed a two-year contract in April; Salah sealed the deal, sitting on the throne in a Liverpool jersey at a floodlit Anfield.

These were a far cry from the rancor unleashed at Elland Road on Saturday night.

Salah is now out more than ever. And if his time at Liverpool ends so acrimoniously, it will be a sad farewell.

If Salah’s words challenge Liverpool and Slot, it means his odds of winning are much lower than last season.

It is understandable that such a proud character would feel hurt to be relegated to the bench due to his standing at Liverpool.

At Liverpool, Salah won two Premier League titles – the Champions League, the FA Cup and the EFL Cup – and scored 250 goals. He scored 188 goals and made 88 assists in the Premier League.

He is third on the list of Liverpool’s all-time top goalscorers, behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.

However, this season Salah has started to look his age. This wasn’t the seismic shock of when Slot found himself on the bench for the 2-0 win at West Ham United.

Salah’s form this term has been in sharp contrast to last season, when he was on a personal mission to bring the Premier League title back to Anfield and he duly did so, scoring 34 goals in 50 starts in all competitions.