Rooney Escalates Attack on Salah, Calls on Slot for a "Bold and Shocking" Move

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney renewed his attack on Egyptian star Mohamed Salah, calling on Liverpool manager Arne Slot to take a "bold" decision: benching Salah. Rooney believes this move would trigger a reaction within the team amid the sharp decline in the results of the former Premier League champions.

1. Reason for Calling for Salah's Temporary Marginalization

• Decline in Performance: Rooney criticized Salah's recent performance, noting that he "does not perform his defensive duties" and lacks the required commitment on the field.

• Negative Message: Rooney questioned: "If you are a player on the bench and you see your teammate not running and starting every game, what does that say to you?"

• Creating a Positive Shock: Rooney advised Slot: "If I were Arne Slot, I would make a big decision to make the rest of the players feel responsible and to create a positive shock."

• Conditional Return: Rooney asserted that Salah should be benched until the team regains its balance: "Liverpool needs to become hard to compete against, cohesive, and every player needs to run. Then Salah can be brought back into the starting lineup when he is fully committed again."

2. Liverpool's Situation and Klopp's Shadow

• Losing Streak: Rooney’s comments came after Liverpool’s harsh 0-3 defeat to Nottingham Forest, which was their sixth loss in the last 7 Premier League matches, dropping them to 11th place, 11 points behind the leader Arsenal.

• Klopp's Shadow: Rooney indicated that every new setback for Liverpool brings Jürgen Klopp's name back into the spotlight, increasing pressure on Slot, likening it to "Ferguson's shadow after his retirement." He called on fans to stop the comparison and support Slot.

• Jota's Impact: Rooney acknowledged that the tragic death of player Diogo Jota in a car accident months ago might have deeply affected the team's mental state, but stressed: "There is no excuse for not running and not fighting."

3. Attack on Other Players

Rooney's criticism was not limited to Salah alone. He criticized other players, demanding they take responsibility: "Van Dijk, Salah, Mac Allister, Gravenberch... all of them must take responsibility and lead the team out of this crisis."