SAVE THE JOB: WAYNE ROONEY'S ADVICE TO ARNE SLOT, DROP MO SALAH FOR IMPACT
Man Utd legend Wayne Rooney says Liverpool coach Arne Slot should bench Mohamed Salah to fix the team's poor form. The Reds have lost 6 of their last 7 Premier League games, with Rooney citing Salah's lack of defensive effort.
Wayne Rooney, a Manchester United legend, has suggested that Liverpool's coach, Arne Slot, should bench Mohamed Salah, who hasn't been at his best. This comes as the Reds have lost six of their last seven Premier League matches, placing them in the league's lower ranks. Rooney believes taking Salah out of the starting lineup might be what Liverpool needs to turn things around.
Liverpool's Struggles Continue After Loss to Nottingham Forest
Liverpool's poor performance continued after a 3-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest. The team has now lost half of their 12 Premier League games this season, letting in 20 goals. Slot insisted after the game that a solution isn't far off. Still, his future with the team is in question after such a bad start to defending their title.
Why Benching Salah Could Help
Rooney thinks that benching Salah could be a way for Liverpool to improve. On The Wayne Rooney Show, he pointed out that Salah isn't helping the team enough on defence. Rooney questioned what message it sends to other players if they see Salah not tracking back, despite his legendary status with the club.
When asked if Slot should bench Salah, Rooney said he absolutely believes so. He thinks Slot needs to make a statement, make the team harder to beat, and ensure every player is working hard. Once they start winning, Salah can be brought back in, hopefully with a renewed commitment to defence. Rooney feels this change could definitely benefit the team.
A Liverpool Icon Defends Salah
While Rooney isn't the only former player suggesting Salah should be benched, Liverpool legend John Barnes doesn't think Salah is the issue. Barnes told Mirror Football that Liverpool's style of play has changed and that the team is still adjusting. He believes the team is experiencing growing pains and that people are wrongly blaming Salah's age.
Barnes explained that the team is getting used to a new approach that doesn't rely as much on creating chances specifically for Salah. While Salah will still be a threat, he won't receive the ball in dangerous positions as often. With more dribblers in the team, Liverpool isn't playing as quickly, which means Salah can't use his speed as effectively.
Barnes still considers Salah one of the best 11 players on the team. While he may not be the main focus as before, Barnes thinks Salah is still important. It's just a matter of better integrating the team and finding a way to play that suits everyone.
Salah's Upcoming AFCON Absence
Liverpool fans will be watching to see if Slot decides to bench Salah, who has scored just four Premier League goals this season. Slot will also have to manage without Salah during the holiday season as he heads to the Africa Cup of Nations in December. Salah could miss several games, including matches against Tottenham, Wolves, Leeds, Fulham, Arsenal, and Burnley, as well as the FA Cup third round. The tournament starts on December 21, with the final set for January 18.
Next Up: PSV in the Champions League
Liverpool will try to put their Premier League troubles behind it when they face PSV in the Champions League. PSV is currently leading the Eredivisie and is on an 11-match unbeaten run. The two teams played last season, with PSV winning 3-2. A similar result on Tuesday would add more pressure on Slot and his struggling team.
MOHAMED SALAH SET TO LEAVE LIVERPOOL: FENERBAHCE PREPARE STUNNING THREE-YEAR CONTRACT OFFER
After a decade at Anfield, Mohamed Salah's next move is the talk of football. Will he join Messi or stay in European leagues?
Mohamed Salah looks set to leave Liverpool this summer, and it sounds like he wants to stay in Europe. One of the hottest rumours right now is about Fenerbahçe; they’re ready to offer him a three-year deal worth around £52 million. That’s a huge pay packet, but probably not as big as what he’d get in Saudi Arabia.
Salah’s been on Merseyside for almost a decade, and it’s hard to overstate just how much he’s done for Liverpool. Since joining in 2017 with Jurgen Klopp in charge, he’s picked up two Premier League titles, a Champions League medal, an FA Cup, and two League Cups. Pretty impressive, honestly. But this season hasn’t gone his way, and new boss Arne Slot dropped him for a few games after his form dipped. When Salah announced in March that he’d be leaving, people started up with transfer rumours right away.
In recent years, clubs from the Saudi Pro League have shown considerable interest. Last year, Al Ittihad went as far as slapping a £150 million offer on the table, but Liverpool turned it down.
Now the story goes that Salah wants to stay in Europe even though he’d pocket way more in Saudi Arabia. Reports out of Egypt claim Fenerbahce, managed by Jose Mourinho’s old club, have already sat down with Salah’s agent. They apparently laid out their big plans, offering £17.3 million a year with a three-year contract, and they want to build the team around him to end their league title drought stretching back to 2014.
There’s also talk of Real Madrid getting involved. Still, their transfer policy usually steers clear of handing massive contracts to players pushing the end of their careers, even superstars like Salah. Clubs in Italy, like Roma, Juventus, and Inter Milan, are keeping tabs on him too. And just to make things more interesting, someone floated the idea of Salah joining up with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami in the MLS, though the league's salary cap throws a wrench into that.
At this point, everybody’s watching Salah’s next move; the only certainty is that he won’t be short of offers when he finally says goodbye to Liverpool.
WHY IS LIVERPOOL HESITATING TO HIRE XABI ALONSO DESPITE OVERWHELMING FAN SUPPORT?
Liverpool has contacted Real Madrid to investigate Xabi Alonso’s tenure, as pressure grows on current manager Arne Slot at Anfield.
Liverpool have reached out to Real Madrid to ask about Xabi Alonso, but honestly, there’s some debate going on behind the scenes. People have been talking about Alonso stepping in at Anfield, especially since Arne Slot’s season hasn’t gone over well. Fans let out some boos after that 1-1 draw with Chelsea, and the mood is pretty tense. Even though Slot led Liverpool to a league title last year, quite a few supporters seem fed up with him and would rather see Alonso take charge.
But Spanish outlet AS says Liverpool have contacted Real Madrid to get the inside scoop on what happened during Alonso’s time at the club. It sounds like the decision-makers at Liverpool are starting to feel unsure about him, and they might actually stick with Slot for another season.
Alonso landed the Real Madrid job last summer after doing wonders at Bayer Leverkusen. Still, just six months in, Madrid let him go, reportedly because the locker room was falling apart. Liverpool’s relationship with Real Madrid is strong, and they apparently want some honest feedback – kind of like asking for a reference from a past employer, which isn’t unusual.
Liverpool’s spot in next year’s Champions League is almost locked in, but with two games left, it’s not guaranteed yet. When asked about the boos, Slot admitted he has some work to do to win fans over.
He said, “Not this season. Fans won’t change their minds now. But if we get the summer we’re planning, I’m convinced we’ll be a different team next season. Results, style, everything. It’s not always easy, though. Sometimes you know what needs fixing, but getting what you want isn’t so simple. This season, it’s been pretty clear what we’re missing. We’re trying to solve it, but one issue is simply having enough fit players. Still, our guys show every week in the second half that they’re giving everything they’ve got.”