Rooney urges Arne Slot to drop Salah after Liverpool’s shock defeat to Nottingham Forest

Rooney urges Arne Slot to drop Salah after Liverpool’s shock defeat to Nottingham Forest

Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has criticised Mohamed Salah following Liverpool’s disappointing run of form, suggesting new manager Arne Slot may need to make a “big decision” and drop the Egyptian star from the starting lineup.

Rooney made the comments on his podcast after Liverpool suffered a shock 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, a result that deepened concerns about the team’s early-season struggles.

Despite scoring five goals so far this season, Salah once again failed to deliver a goal contribution.

“If I were Slot, I’d try and make a big decision just so it has an impact on the rest of the team,” Rooney said, as quoted by Sky Sports.

Rooney questioned Salah’s work rate without the ball, claiming his lack of defensive contribution is sending the wrong message to new signings who are still waiting for their chance.

“Salah is not helping them defensively. If you’re one of the players they’ve signed and you’re on the bench watching him not running… what message does that send?” Rooney said.

His criticism marks a sharp contrast to last season, when the 33-year-old forward produced a historic campaign, finishing with the most goals and assists in the Premier League and winning the Player of the Season award.

Salah’s brilliance helped Slot secure the league title in his first year after replacing Jürgen Klopp.

Liverpool spent £241 million in the summer on major signings, including Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. Expectations were high, but the Reds have failed to find consistency. They now sit 11th in the Premier League with just 18 points from 12 matches.

Rooney also pointed to off-field issues, such as the emotional impact of the tragic situation involving Diogo Jota.

“They’re going through a hard time. You have to think about the effect of what happened to Jota, that surely affects the players,” he added.

Despite acknowledging the emotional toll, Rooney insisted the team must show greater intensity.

“There’s no excuse for not fighting and not tackling,” he concluded.