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Mo Salah wants Slot sacked: Liverpool’s response revealed by Fabrizio Romano

Updated: 18 May 2026 10:57 BST | 5 min read

Arne Slot, Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, 2025/26

Robin Bairner

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006

Mohamed Salah once again stunned the footballing world with a blistering attack on Liverpool manager Arne Slot that seemed designed to further destabilise the Dutchman’s position at Anfield.

Slot has come under increasing pressure this season due to increasingly poor results and an increasingly disjointed team, which has led fans to question what their playing style is.

Salah, who has publicly clashed with the former Feyenoord boss in the past, further lit the blue touch paper following Liverpool’s 4-2 Friday night loss against Aston Villa when he delivered a thinly veiled attack on Slot via his social channels.

“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,” the normally reserved Egypt international said on X.

While Salah did not directly call out Slot, it was clear who the target of his anger was.

Liverpool still sticking by Slot

Fabrizio Romano has now revealed how Liverpool have reacted to the written assault on their manager from the iconic player.

“They want to support Arne Slot, believe in Arne Slot,” Romano explained on YouTube.

Xabi Alonso, now bound for Chelsea, was considered a popular option to replace Slot, but Romano says that possibility never crossed the board’s mind.

“There is a sentiment that this season has been too negative for Liverpool in terms of results, 20 defeats, not playing good football. So obviously it’s been a complicated one. But at the same time, the reality is that the owners and the management are deciding. And the understanding is that so far, till this weekend, Liverpool never reached out to any other coach, Xabi Alonso or any other manager,” the football transfer expert said.

“But at the moment, Liverpool didn’t call Xabi Alonso because they believe in Arne Slot.”

Liverpool manager Arne Slot

Explaining the tension between Salah and Slot

If Slot looks like he is staying at Liverpool over the summer, Salah, who has developed into something of his arch-nemesis, is on his way out. The Egypt international has long since announced his intention to leave the club after a below-par final season.

His strained relationship with the manager, though, has doubtless been a factor in his decision to leave.

The breaking point seemed to come in December, when Salah criticised the manager after he was named as a substitute for three straight games and not used at all as Liverpool drew with both West Ham and Leeds.

“I can't believe it, I'm very disappointed,” Salah began. “I've done so much for this club. Everyone can see that over the years, especially last season. To be on the bench - I don't know why. I feel like the club is throwing me under the bus. That's how I feel.

“I have said many times before that I have a good relationship with the coach. Suddenly, we don't have a relationship. I don't know why.”

Salah was back in the Liverpool team a week later to face Brighton, delivering an assist in a 2-0 victory. A trip to AFCON followed that allowed tensions to be cooled, but while the 33-year-old was subsequently a fixture in the starting XI there was a sense of uneasiness of his presence.

Salah’s latest post is a real power play. Liverpool’s home match with Brentford next weekend will be his last for the Reds, and Slot is in no position to drop the Anfield great for the game as pressure mounts on his status.