Wayne Rooney Urges Liverpool to Consider Dropping Mohamed Salah

Wayne Rooney Urges Liverpool to Consider Dropping Mohamed Salah

Wayne Rooney Urges Liverpool to Consider Dropping Mohamed Salah

Wayne Rooney, the former Manchester United striker, has suggested that Liverpool manager Arne Slot should consider dropping Mohamed Salah from the starting lineup.

In the wake of Liverpool's 3-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Salah, who has scored five goals this season, was criticized for failing to contribute either a goal or an assist.

Rooney expressed his thoughts during a recent episode of his podcast, stating, "If I were Slot, I would make a significant decision to influence the rest of the team. Salah is not contributing defensively. If you are a player who has been signed and you find yourself on the bench watching him not putting in the effort—despite being a club legend—what message does that send?"

Last season, the 33-year-old made history by becoming the first player in Premier League history to finish with the most goals and assists, earning the Player of the Season award. His impressive performance coincided with a successful inaugural season for Slot, who took over from Jurgen Klopp and led Liverpool to the title.

However, following a busy summer transfer window that saw the arrivals of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak for a combined total of £241 million, Liverpool has struggled this season, currently sitting 11th in the league with 18 points from 12 matches.

Rooney remarked, "They are going through a tough time, aren’t they? You have to consider the impact of what happened to Jota—how does that affect the players since he is their teammate? That surely has to play a role. However, there is no excuse for not putting in the fight or effort on the pitch."

‘Klopp’s Legacy Looms Large’

Following the recent loss, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk emphasized that "everyone in the team must take responsibility." With Slot's team managing only one win in their last seven league matches, the shadow of his predecessor, Klopp, is beginning to overshadow the Dutch manager.

Rooney commented, "Slot has a significant task ahead to get them back to winning ways. When results are poor, Klopp’s name keeps coming up. It’s akin to the presence of Sir Alex Ferguson—when David Moyes and Louis Van Gaal were at Manchester United, Ferguson’s name was frequently mentioned. With Slot, it’s the same; he’s not Jurgen Klopp, he’s not as good as Jurgen Klopp. However, I believe Liverpool fans need to move past that and support him."

Watch the Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport YouTube, and listen on BBC Sounds.

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