Gerrard reacts to Salah’s ‘damning’ Slot verdict as ‘no fight’ Liverpool ‘hurt’ Reds legend | OneFootball

Steven Gerrard was shocked by Mohamed Salah’s “damning” assessment of Liverpool under Arne Slot but admits it “hurt to watch” his former side’s “terrible” display against Aston Villa.

Villa triumphed 4-2 to condemn Liverpool to their 12th defeat of the season and while the Reds’ FSG owners continue to back Slot and insist he will remain on as manager next season, the vast majority of the fanbase are pushing for a change.

The decision to stick with Slot has been brought into sharp focus by Chelsea’s move to secure Xabi Alonso – the favourite to replace Slot at Anfield – as their new manager. The Blues have agreed a four-year contract with former Liverpool midfielder to take over at Stamford Bridge.

And while Chelsea were playing Manchester City in the FA Cup final, before Antoine Semenyo’s goal secured victory for Pep Guardiola’s side, Salah took to X to deliver a take down of Liverpool under Slot this season.

‘I have witnessed this club go from doubters to believers, and from believers to champions,’ Salah wrote.

‘It took hard work and I always did everything I could to help the club get there. Nothing makes me prouder than that.

‘Us crumbling to yet another defeat this season was very painful and not what our fans deserve.

‘I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear and back to being a team that wins trophies.

‘That is the football I know how to play and that is the identity that needs to be recovered and kept for good.

‘It cannot be negotiable and everyone that joins this club should adapt to it. Winning some games here and there is not what Liverpool should be about. All teams win games.

‘Liverpool will always be a club that means a great deal to me and to my family. I want to see it succeed for long after I have moved on.

‘As I’ve always said, qualifying to next season’s Champions League is the bare minimum and I will do everything I can to make that happen.’

‘Crumbling is a strong word…’

Liverpool legend Gerrard was surprised by Salah’s “damning” thoughts but admitted he’s been similarly unimpressed by the Reds’ performances, specifically against Villa, where they lacked “fight” and “passion”.

“Wow. Listen, that is extremely interesting,” he told TNT Sports. “Mo Salah doesn’t really speak much, and he doesn’t tweet, and he certainly doesn’t tweet like that.

“So I think that he’s sending a message to the outside that things in that Liverpool dressing room are not right: the identity’s gone and it’s really hurting him to see it in front of his own eyes.

“I’m surprised of the timing. One game to go, his last game for Liverpool. You guys know, you’ve been involved in the media: he very rarely speaks, he’s done interviews lately because he’s obviously bringing the curtain down on an incredible Liverpool career.

“But that is quite damning to the Liverpool manager and the staff in terms of where this team’s at. That’s my opinion on that.

“Is he speaking off his own back for the sake of everyone else in the dressing room? It’s strange, it’s unusual.

“He’s going to be doing a load of media around his last game, I’m sure. I’m really looking forward to the coming days because that’s unusual for a Liverpool player, and it’s unusual for Mo Salah.

“Crumbling is a strong word. It’s quite damning, the timing. It’s unusual coming from Mo. The pressure’s on the players and the pressure’s on the manager because it hasn’t been nowhere near good enough.

“The performance last night was terrible, it was awful, it was difficult to watch from start to finish and it hurt me watching Liverpool last night. I don’t normally say that.

“It was a tough 90 minutes and they got what they deserved. Villa were better all over the pitch. There was no fight, no passion, no pattern of play, no connection, they’re not moving around the pitch together, individuals were miles off what I know they can perform at. It hurt me to watch Liverpool last night, they were nowhere near good enough. Let’s finish on that note.”