After the match, the Dutchman accepted full responsibility for the underperformance and admitted that some of his tactical choices backfired.
Slott placed midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai back at right-back, and introduced Alexander Isak in front of Hugo Ekitike in attack.
Manchester United icon Rooney believes the Liverpool manager needs to take even bolder decisions to move forward.
Salah has struggled to reach his usual high standards with just five goals and three assists in 17 games this season, and Rooney believes he has not contributed enough after playing in all 12 league games.
He declared on the Wayne Rooney Show: “Salah isn’t helping them defensively. If you’re one of the players they signed and you’re sitting on the bench and you see him not running…”
“I understand that he’s a legend at the club and everything he’s done for the club, but if you’re on the bench and your team-mates aren’t running away, what message does that send to you? He starts every game. If I were Arne Slott, I would try to make big decisions that affect the rest of the team.”
Asked if he thought Salah should be taken off, Rooney replied: “I think so. When you’re not winning games, you want to keep a team that’s compact and hard to lose. So while they’re going through this period, I think 100 per cent he needs to make a decision and have each player step back and build a team that’s compact and hard to lose.”
“Then once we start winning games, we can bring him back and hope he runs more. But I think it’s definitely going to affect them.”
Rooney previously had a spat with Virgil van Dijk over his scathing assessment of the Liverpool captain, but he has stood his ground but spread the responsibility more widely.
“What I said before is really continuing in terms of performance, but it hasn’t been great,” he added.
“As champions you will be judged on how you played and what results you got. They weren’t great at all, but it’s not just Van Dijk and Salah.
“I say that because I like to think they are the leaders of the team. Players like (Alexis) Mac Allister, who has been there the last few years, and (Ryan) Gravenbirch, who did very well last season, they have to try to pull themselves together and try to get past everyone and create another win that will bring them a win.
“Perhaps we have to think about the impact of the sad events that happened to Jota.
“How will that affect the players? Because it’s his teammate. That should definitely have an effect. But then there’s no excuse not to fight, not to tackle.”
