Mohamed Salah has finally had a remarkable performance this season, but unfortunately for Liverpool and coach Arne Slot who are under pressure, the 33-year-old has attracted attention with his off-field statements rather than his on-field performance.
No great player would have wanted to admit that, but when what they say becomes more discussed than what they show, it is a clear sign that their form is declining. And of course, they can hardly accept that they are no longer the center of the team.
Salah's post-match interview with reporters - shortly after he was left out of the 3-3 draw with Leeds United - has created a media effect no less than any of the 250 goals he has scored for Liverpool since joining AS Roma in 2017. However, this statement is personal and does not serve the common interests of the team.
By claiming to be "ted up" by the club and implying that "there is someone who wants to blame me for all mistakes", Salah seems to be reusing the "trick" that Cristiano Ronaldo applied in his shocking interview with Piers Morgan in November 2022 - the event that made his departure from Manchester United inevitable.
Ronaldo has said he feels betrayed by Man United and mentioned his broken relationship with manager Erik ten Hag. Salah seems to be following a similar scenario when he got angry at Elland Road and his statements could well lead to a Ronaldo-like ending. It was a quick transfer deal to the Saudi Pro League and a tarnished legacy at the club where he became a legend.
Salah has been pushed to the bench by Slot for 3 consecutive matches, and the Egyptian player could not hide his hurt and disappointment at taking on this new role.
However, it is important to emphasize that Salah's form this season has clearly declined. He has only scored 5 goals in 19 appearances - a number that is too low compared to the original standard. Slot actually gave him many opportunities to regain his scoring touch before making a strong decision to leave the number one star out of the starting lineup.
Slot is struggling to find the winning formula in a difficult season and trying to keep his seat just 6 months after being promoted to the Premier League with Liverpool. He has not hesitated to remove summer blockbuster signings such as Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike to renew the attack, but all of them have not been effective.
It was Salah's turn to give up, and he clearly didn't accept that. A noteworthy statement in the post-Dieu interview against Leeds shows that Salah believes that what he has done in the past has "deposit" enough to help him maintain an impressive position in the squad.
"I don't have to fight for my position every day because I deserve it. I'm not bigger than the club, I'm not bigger than anything, but I deserved that position," Salah said.
Salah has not become a burden in Slot's squad, but his comments to Leeds are likely to cause as much harm as he refuses to support the defence or play with little effort on the pitch. Those words were no different from a challenge, forcing Liverpool's board to choose to side with him or support Slot.
However, it would be surprising and risky for the club to decide to defend a player in poor form and turn 34 next summer, rather than a coach who has just taken the team to the Premier League championship.
The reality is clear: if Salah had maintained his top form, he would not have lost his place in the squad. But it seems that he himself has not yet accepted that.
Salah has gone beyond the limit. His past contributions have made him a legend at Anfield, but his current form is just enough to make him treated fairly like all his teammates.
And at this point, the person who criticizes Salah the most... is Salah.
