Mohamed Salah's conduct has been slammed by a Premier League icon following his extraordinary outburst towards the club and Arne Slot
Matty Hewitt
17:36, 11 Dec 2025Updated 18:11, 11 Dec 2025
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Mohamed Salah had not started for Liverpool for three matches before his bombshell interview.
Richard Keys found himself cut off by former AC Milan icon Ruud Gullit during a fiery exchange about Mohamed Salah's explosive recent interview.
The Liverpool forward was dropped from the Reds' Champions League squad for their victory against Inter Milan following his scathing comments, in which he accused the club of throwing him under the bus.
Salah also launched a counter-attack against Jamie Carragher in the interview after being benched for the third consecutive match in the draw with Leeds United. Ex-Liverpool defender Carragher has been scathing about Salah's displays this season and has since reinforced his position.
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
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Salah did not travel to Italy for the victory over Inter Milan(Image: 2025 Getty Images)
Gullit backed Carragher's view, arguing that Salah should have remained silent, while Keys defended the Liverpool star's right to voice his opinion as the pair clashed live on beIN SPORTS
"What is the motivation of it, do you want to leave? I think so," said Gullit. "I have been in the same situation as him with Milan. The same thing.
"I didn't play in the Champions League Final against Marseille. I didn't say anything. Why? Because my team has to play, the players have to play and I have to keep my mouth shut for them.
"That is the wrong thing. You should keep it to yourself and then you have to deal with it. Now with the press before a match like this which is very important for everybody. Now it comes to the conclusion, he did it on purpose."
"Of course he did," Keys declared. "If Liverpool were honest, they would admit they signed him last summer with the view to selling him. Because he's only going to be worth £50m-£80m for another season.
"He would have walked for nothing. They couldn't afford to let him, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Mo Salah go for nothing. I think we're probably reaching the conclusion the club wants and that Mo clearly does right now.
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool looks on form the bench prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool and Sunderland at Anfield on December 03, 2025 in Liverpool, England.
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Mohamed Salah has caused an internal battle at Liverpool(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
"I think he's earned the right to tell us how he feels."
"No, no, no," Gullit interrupted. "The thing is, did he play well the last couple of weeks? He played awful. He didn't play well for a reason.
"The only thing, the same thing in the studio here they all defended Mo Salah, all of them. But I think it was not the right thing to do. Especially when you don't play well.
"Now, if the team is playing well without Mo Salah, your trumps are over."
Keys cut in to question why the former Netherlands star believed Salah wasn't performing, but the 63-year-old admitted he was unsure.
"I think there's a couple of reasons," Gray offered. "Probably himself and probably because Arne Slot has changed the way they're playing."
Keys added: "He's not happy with the way things are at the moment at the football club. He's not the only one, there's another senior professional there in exactly the same boat and he's getting away with murder week in, week out."
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Salah has since been strongly associated with a big-money move to Saudi Arabia, though Liverpool are still open to the iconic winger being reintegrated into the team.