Mohamed Salah has criticized Liverpool‘s current approach to football, urging the team to return to their “heavy metal” style of play after suffering a disappointing 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa, which left them in fifth place in the Premier League.
The Egyptian forward came off the bench on Wednesday as Liverpool struggled against Villa at Villa Park. After captain Virgil van Dijk‘s equalizer was quickly nullified, the hosts took control of the match.
Salah’s remarks, shared in a post on X, highlight the increasing pressure on manager Arne Slot, who acknowledged the defeat was “damaging” for Liverpool’s hopes of securing Champions League qualification.
In his post, Salah stated, “I have seen this club transition from doubters to believers, and from believers to champions. It took immense effort, and I always did everything possible to aid the club in reaching that point. Nothing brings me greater pride.”
“Watching us crumble to yet another defeat this season was painful and not what our fans deserve.”
“I want to see Liverpool return to being the heavy metal attacking team that strikes fear in opponents and emerges as a trophy-winning side. That is the style of football I know and the identity we must reclaim and preserve.”
“This cannot be negotiable; everyone who joins this club must adapt to it.”
“Winning a few games here and there is not the essence of Liverpool. Most teams win matches.”
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“Liverpool will always hold immense significance for me and my family. I hope to see it thrive long after I move on.”
“As I’ve always maintained, qualifying for next season’s Champions League is the bare minimum, and I will do everything in my power to make that happen.”
Former Liverpool star Steven Gerrard reacted to Salah’s statement while speaking on TNT Sports.
“I believe he’s signaling that there are issues within the Liverpool dressing room, that the team’s identity is lost, and he is deeply affected by witnessing this,” Gerrard said.
“I’m intrigued by the timing, with only one game left and it being his last match for Liverpool. He rarely speaks out, so this is quite a powerful message to the manager and the coaching staff about the current state of the team.”
Salah is expected to leave Anfield at the end of the season after nine years with the club, during which he has missed out on Champions League qualification only once, in the 2023-24 season when they finished fifth.
The 33-year-old boasts two league titles, two FA Cups, and a Champions League trophy among his accolades on Merseyside.
Liverpool’s hopes of retaining their position among Europe’s elite will now hinge on their final match of the season against Brentford on May 24.
PA contributed to this report.