Rooney Advocates for Salah’s Benching to Revitalize Liverpool’s Performance

Wayne Rooney has called on Liverpool manager Arne Slot to consider benching Mohamed Salah as a strategy to rejuvenate the team’s performance.

In the wake of a disappointing 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, the defending champions currently find themselves in 11th place in the Premier League, trailing leaders Arsenal by 11 points. Salah’s lack of contribution in the match—failing to score or assist—marked Liverpool’s sixth defeat in their last seven league games.

This recent string of losses has resulted in Liverpool conceding six unanswered goals across their last two matches. Rooney remarked on The Wayne Rooney Show, “Salah is not providing defensive support. If you’re one of the players who signed with the club and are sitting on the bench, witnessing a teammate not putting in the effort while starting every game sends a poor message.”

He continued, “If I were in Slot’s position, I would make a significant decision to impact the entire team. When results aren’t going your way, it’s crucial to remain compact and difficult to beat. Slot should consider making changes now to instill discipline and teamwork. Once they start winning again, he could reinstate Salah, hoping for a renewed effort from him. I believe this would positively affect the team.”

Rooney’s criticism extended beyond Salah, as he addressed several senior players who have failed to meet expectations. “Liverpool’s performance has been lackluster, and it’s not just van Dijk and Salah who are underperforming,” he stated. “They should be leading the team, but players like Mac Allister, who has been with the club for several years, and Gravenberch, who excelled last season, need to rally the team together to forge a winning culture.”

He also pointed to the tragic death of Diogo Jota as a possible factor in Liverpool’s recent struggles. “They’re clearly going through a tough period. The incident involving Jota has likely had an emotional impact on the players. That’s someone they see every day, and such a loss undoubtedly affects the team’s morale.”