A Liverpool legend suddenly under fire

To understand the magnitude of Mohamed Salah’s situation, one must first acknowledge who he is: the third-highest scorer in Liverpool history with 250 goals, the top foreign scorer in the Premier League era, a champion of England and Europe, and arguably Liverpool’s greatest modern icon.

And yet, he now finds himself in an unprecedented scenario: three consecutive games on the bench and, most shocking of all, left out of the Champions League squad against Inter Milan following his explosive interview criticizing the manager and the club.

A legend at Anfield… now living his most fragile moment.

Is there a football reason to justify this?

Speculation about non-football motives is unavoidable, but the numbers also raise a legitimate question:
Does Arne Slot have sporting arguments to justify sidelining Liverpool’s most decisive player of the last decade?

Compared to Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai, the wingers who have taken his place, Salah doesn’t fall off a cliff — but he is clearly not the Salah of old. His 2024–25 metrics were elite; this season, almost all have dropped:

• Fewer goals
• Lower xG
• More shots needed to score
• Fewer goals in open play
• Fewer assists
• Fewer key passes
• A drastic decline in pressing and recoveries

It paints a picture of a player still dangerous, but far less efficient and influential.

His competitors aren’t shining either… but edge him in key areas

While none of Liverpool’s wide players are producing at superstar levels, Gakpo has been the most effective:

• 0.27 non-penalty goals per 90 (Salah: 0.21)
• 0.22 assists per 90 (Salah: 0.16)
• Better dribbling and finishing efficiency

Salah, however, still leads in:

• Touches in the box
• xG generated
• Key passes

But he’s not converting that volume into actual goals or assists — the gap between creation and production is widening.

Szoboszlai, meanwhile, surpasses both in recoveries and defensive work due to his hybrid midfield role.

The Champions League omission: a turning point

The most dramatic element of all is the one that goes beyond statistics:
Arne Slot did not include Salah in the squad for the Champions League clash vs. Inter Milan.

For a player of his stature, such an omission is seismic — a message that the conflict has escalated beyond the pitch. Whether disciplinary, tactical or symbolic, the decision marks a new chapter in a saga that is shaking Liverpool’s season.

This storm is far from over

Yes, Salah is underperforming, but not enough to suggest he is drastically worse than his competitors. And yet, he finds himself pushed aside at the exact moment Liverpool look lost collectively, both on and off the pitch.

What began as a dip in form has now become something much more complex:
a crisis of leadership, identity and legacy.

And the next chapter of the Salah–Slot saga is only just beginning.