Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson believes Mohamed Salah will want to play for the club again once he 'simmers down' — but he says Arne Slot can't use too much of his time on that situation.
Over the weekend, Salah went nuclear with his assessment of how he is being treated by Liverpool and Slot at the moment, making a series of incredible accusations, including that his relationship with the Reds head coach has completely broken down. He was then dropped from the squad for the midweek trip to Inter Milan in the Champions League.
"It's just strange," Johnson tells Liverpool.com. "We've had bust-ups over the years but to have an outburst like that, it is the final straw, not the start of it.
"You can have a bust-up in training, after training, or in the manager's office. That's all fine and all well and good, but when you do it this way, it's not for the best of the team.
"Sometimes you are frustrated and you have outbursts where you say stuff that you don't mean. But it still doesn't help. I was just as shocked as you and I hope they can resolve it — but the clock is ticking, as we know.
"I don't know if he's played his last game for Liverpool. It would be a shame for him to end his Liverpool career in this way, so I think the club will do everything it can to resolve it.
"But at the same time, Mo is not Liverpool Football Club. You have got other players who are trying to perform every week who are working hard, so it's not the be-all and end-all.
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
"Players come and go, and he is not bigger than the club. If he thinks that was his last game, and he doesn't want to play, cool. Stop talking about him, let him move, and crack on. There is so much more to talk about and work on.
"But I do think the club will try and work with him to resolve it. He will want to do the same when he simmers down, and hopefully he can see the season out to the end and leave on better terms."
Salah spoke at length to reporters after being put on the bench for three games in a row. After Liverpool drew 3-3 with Leeds United, he felt the time was right to speak out about where he currently finds himself.
"It's OK to be emotional at any point, but normally the uncontrollable outbursts are straight after the game," Johnson pointed out. "He has had time to think about it, but it has been bubbling for weeks.
"That probably makes it even more surprising, but being left out of those games — he should have been left out. He hasn't been at the standard, so it is not like he is scoring goals and playing really well.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 15: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 4-2 during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield on August 15, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
(Image: Getty Images)
"At the minute, the manager can drop almost anyone, so I don't think you can get that emotional and upset when you're nowhere near your level. No one is guaranteed to start.
"If you look at the performances and his name was David Smith, everyone would be desperate for him to be dropped. If you're used to playing every week, you want to play to get into better form.
"But Liverpool can't wait around and lose games. You can't sulk and be emotional. You've just got to take it on the chin, work hard, and get back in the team.
"You're a team. It's not Mo Salah's team and there are still lots of others who are not in form but are working hard for the cause of Liverpool and their teammates.
"They will have had bust-ups over the years — that's cool; that's what happens. But you do your best for the team and you get on with it.
KIRKBY, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 08: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool looks on as Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, is seen during a Liverpool Training Session at AXA Training Centre on December 08, 2025 in Kirkby, England. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
(Image: Getty Images)
"The fact that we're still talking about it will be even more frustrating for [his teammates]. They will just want to get on with it and if he wants to leave, leave — we don't care. But we can't be doing this every week.
"What he has done for Liverpool in the past has been incredible, but that was in the past. At the moment, he is not doing that.
"The bar is high for those standards but he is nowhere near that at the moment. No one is guaranteed to start. At the minute, you could drop half of the side.
"One of two games, absolutely [his past performances keep him in the team]. But if you're trying to get a game this season because of your form last season, absolutely not."
Liverpool took the decision to leave Salah out of the Inter Milan game in conjunction with Slot, and that was clearly the right call to make. The Reds weren't left with much choice.
Arne Slot's pregame press conference was dominated by questions about Mohamed Salah.
Arne Slot's pregame press conference was dominated by questions about Mohamed Salah. (Image: 2025 Liverpool FC)
"The club should side with the manager, for sure," Johnson, speaking on behalf of BetWright Betting UK, says. "He has got another 25 players to look after and Liverpool have got 25 to 30 assets; one is not more important than the others.
"I definitely think they will stick with the manager and I just think time will tell. At the minute, this is a super-hot subject. If the next two results go really well without Mo then we're saying leaving him out is a good decision.
"It wouldn't surprise me if they go on and win their next two games because the rest of the players will want to prove a point.
"Arne Slot has handled it well but other than him throwing his boot in as well, there is not much you can do. The reality is, it is probably draining him.
"He'll be thinking, 'I've got to ruin this football club, I've got to sort everything out, I've got other things to worry about'. That's making the rest of the team win the next game.
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"Dropping Salah is the right decision and I just want Slot to get some positive results so he doesn't come under more fire. At the moment, even a negative result, Mo isn't in form to help change that.
"I'd just like to see Slot get a good result so we can get him out of the spotlight and we can talk about Liverpool coming back rather than the negativity.
"Right now, in terms of giving him that contract, absolutely it was a mistake. But things change very quickly in football. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
"The club thought it was the right thing to do and Mo wanted to sign it. It's just when you do that and the player goes into bad form, of course it looks bad, especially with the outburst.
"If they knew this was coming, they wouldn't have done it. But for me, you've got to work it out and get through to the summer."