How Liverpool owners FSG responded to Mohamed Salah’s blockbuster comments is under the spotlight after Arne Slot was dismissed following a poor second season in charge
14:43, 30 May 2026
Arne Slot manager / head coach of Liverpool reacts during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Liverpool
Arne Slot has been sacked by Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)
Fenway Sports Group is facing questions over whether Mohamed Salah’s explosive statement played any role in the decision to sack Arne Slot at Liverpool.
Following a season review, Liverpool concluded that the most appropriate course of action was to part ways with the Dutch head coach, with Andoni Iraola among the candidates being considered as a potential successor. The Reds are understood to have reluctantly decided that a change in the dugout was necessary in order to implement the faster, more aggressive style of play they want moving forward.
That tactical shift had previously been referenced by Mohamed Salah shortly before his departure, underlining the club’s intention to evolve its approach on the pitch.
In what could be interpreted as a message to Slot and his teammates ahead of his final appearance for Liverpool, Salah called for change at Anfield after watching the Reds “crumble” to a 12th league defeat of the campaign at Aston Villa and suggested that Liverpool must return to a “heavy metal” style of football.
"I have witnessed this club go from doubters to believers, and from believers to champions," Salah wrote on social media. "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."
Arne Slot and Mo Salah are both leaving Liverpool in the same summer
Arne Slot and Mo Salah are both leaving Liverpool in the same summer(Image: Getty)
talkSPORT reported that Salah’s comments had no bearing on FSG’s decision-making process regarding Slot’s dismissal. Liverpool’s ownership group based their call on a broader season review and internal assessment of performances rather than any individual player statements.
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Liverpool is understood to have decided to part ways with Slot largely due to a belief that a significant change in playing style is needed to recover from this season’s disappointing campaign.
Frustration had grown among sections of supporters over the team’s performances and a perceived lack of intensity, prompting the club to seek a new direction. Liverpool now intend to appoint a successor capable of implementing a more aggressive, front-foot approach moving forward.
Just a year after delivering the Premier League title with Liverpool, the situation deteriorated rapidly for Slot. Ultimately, the club concluded that a change was necessary following the downturn in results, although his contribution to the previous season’s success remains significant and widely recognized.