Arne Slot must drop Mohamed Salah to ‘send message’ to Liverpool flops, says Rooney | OneFootball

Wayne Rooney thinks Liverpool boss Arne Slot should drop 2024/25 Premier League Player of the Season Mohamed Salah.

After scoring 29 goals and registering 18 assists in the Premier League last season as Liverpool won the title, Salah has managed only four goals and two assists this term.

Overall, the Reds have been terrible. They started the season with five wins from five, but the performances left a lot to be desired, with late goals dragging them over the line.

After 12 games, Slot’s side have lost six and sit 11th in the Premier League table.

Several individuals are to blame for their pitiful form, while Slot has also been criticised for his tactics, with Salah’s notable decline sparking debate about his place in the team.

It is clear that Slot has his favourites and is reluctant to drop those who led Liverpool to the title last season. The only time he benched Salah this term, away to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League, caused a stir after the Egyptian stormed down the tunnel ‘in a strop’ at full-time.

Salah did go on to score in back-to-back Premier League games after that, but he has only helped Liverpool in two of their six games across all competitions since the Frankfurt clash.

There are serious question marks over whether Salah should be starting for Liverpool, even though Slot has a serious lack of options on the right flank.

Still, Manchester United legend Rooney believes dropping Salah would benefit the Reds and send a message to his team-mates.

“If I was Slot, I’d try and make a big decision just so it has an impact on the rest of the team,” Rooney said. “Salah is not helping them defensively.

“If you’re one of the players they’ve signed and you’re on the bench and you see him not running. He’s a club legend and everything he’s done for the club, but if you’re on the bench, then what message does that send to you?”

It’s Chiesa’s time to shine for Liverpool

So not only is Salah failing to contribute with goals and assists, but he is also not putting in enough work off the ball.

But the biggest question is: who comes in for him?

In terms of natural right-wingers, there is no one else in the squad, which is remarkable when you consider Liverpool spent over £400 million on new signings in the summer transfer window.

They strengthened their attack with centre-forwards Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak.

Record signing Isak, in particular, has been abysmal in a Liverpool shirt. After Saturday’s shocking 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, he became the first player in Premier League history to lose in his first four starts for the Reds.

Next up for Liverpool is PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, and Slot needs to shake things up.

Rooney is right: Salah should not start against PSV. Federico Chiesa deserves a shot on the right and, more importantly, it is time to drop Ibrahima Konate for Joe Gomez.