Liverpool manager Arne Slot is under huge pressure to turn things around after Nottingham Forest won at Anfield and Wayne Rooney thinks he needs to make a big selection call
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool looks dejected
Mohamed Salah's place in the team has been questioned(Image: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
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Arne Slot should send a firm message to his players by dropping Mohamed Salah from his starting line-up, according to Wayne Rooney. Liverpool have dropped to 11th in the Premier League and are 11 points behind leaders Arsenal after their 3-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
The Reds’ title defence has fallen apart, with Forest becoming the sixth side to beat them in the last seven league games. That is as many defeats as Liverpool had suffered in the previous 58 Premier League games and leaves Slot under mounting pressure.
Speaking post-match, the Dutchman took responsibility for the slump, admitting some of his decisions had not worked out. Slot fielded midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back once more and opted for Alexander Isak over Hugo Ekitike up front.
Manchester United legend Rooney believes the Liverpool manager needs to double down by taking an even braver call. Salah has been ineffective by his own high standards, managing five goals and three assists in 17 appearances this season and Rooney believes he’s not pulling his weight after starting all 12 of their league games.
He said on the Wayne Rooney Show: “Salah is not helping them defensively and if you’re one of the players who they’ve signed and you’re sat on the bench and you’ve seen him not running…
"I get that he’s a club legend and everything he’s done for the club, but if you’re on the bench then what message does it send to you, that your teammate is not running back? He’s starting every game. If I was Arne Slot I’d try and make a big decision that has an impact on the rest of the team.”
Asked if he needs to drop Salah, Rooney replied: “I think so, yeah. When you’re not winning games, you want to try and stay compact and hard to beat. So I think while they’re going through this period, 100 per cent, he needs to make a decision and get them compact and hard to beat, with every player running back.
“And then, when you start winning games, you can bring him back in and hope he is running back more. But I think that’ll have an impact on them for sure.”
Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool
Arne Slot is under huge pressure as Liverpool boss
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Rooney has previously clashed with Virgil van Dijk over his harsh criticism of the Liverpool captain, but while he stands by his comments, he has shared the blame. “What I said before has continued really in terms of the performances, which haven’t been great,” he said.
“As champions you’re going to get judged on how you play and what results you get. They haven’t been great at all – and that’s not just Van Dijk and Salah.
“I say that because I’d like to think they’re the leaders in the team. The likes of [Alexis] Mac Allister, who has been there a few years now, [Ryan] Gravenberch, who did really well last season – these players have got to pull their finger out, get around everyone and try and create a win that will win again.”
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney doesn't think Mohamed Salah deserves to keep his place in the side
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Andy Robertson’s emotional words after helping Scotland qualify for the World Cup has once again highlighted the ongoing impact of the death of Diogo Jota on the Liverpool squad. “You've probably got to look at the effect of what sadly happened to Jota,” Rooney added.
“What effect does that have on the players because that's his team-mates? That surely has to have an effect. But then there's no excuse for not fighting and not tackling.”
Liverpool will lose Salah to the Africa Cup of Nations in December, with the 33-year-old heading off to play for Egypt in the tournament.
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