Mohamed Salah is preparing to leave Liverpool, but his final message to the club may carry more weight than his farewell gesture at Anfield.
After Friday’s 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa, the Egyptian forward gave a frank public assessment of a season that fell well below Liverpool’s standards.
The only team in the Premier League to consistently fail VAR
The defeat leaves Arne Slott’s side in fifth place, but they are still chasing Champions League qualification and face uncomfortable questions about how quickly the team has moved away from the attacking identity that defined their best era of the modern era.
Although Salah did not directly name Slott, it was impossible to separate that message from the direction of the team under the Dutchman.
Salah wrote of X: “I have witnessed this club grow from doubters to believers and from believers to champions. It has taken a lot of hard work, but I have always given my all to help the club get there. I could not be more proud of you.”
And then there was the line that would resonate in the final week of Liverpool’s season.
“It was extremely painful for us to crumble this season with yet another defeat and it was not something our fans deserved,” Salah wrote.
Salah calls for Liverpool to restore fear factor
Salah’s frustration wasn’t just about one result at Villa Park. It was about what he saw as a loss of identity.
“I want to see Liverpool go back to being a heavy-metal attacking team that opponents fear, and a team that wins trophies,” he wrote.
“That’s the football that I know how to play and that’s the identity that we need to recover and hold forever. It’s non-negotiable and everyone who joins this club has to adapt to that.”
The references to “heavy metal” football were unmistakable. It was a phrase long associated with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, characterized by relentless pressing, quick transitions, emotional intensity and a team that makes opponents feel under siege.
Down the slot, Liverpool haven’t found the same rhythm this season.
The defeat to Aston Villa, in which Ollie Watkins scored twice and Villa secured Champions League qualification, was another example of the Reds’ defensive fragility and inconsistency for much of the season.
Champions League is now the bare minimum
Salah has already confirmed he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, and his comments feel like both a warning and a final act of loyalty.
“Winning a game here and there is not what Liverpool should be about. Every team wins a game,” Salah said. “Liverpool will always be a club that means a lot to me and my family. I want to see Liverpool continue to be successful for a long time after I leave.”
He also revealed that he still has one job left before he retires.
“As I have always said, qualifying for next season’s Champions League is the minimum requirement and we will do everything in our power to make that happen,” Salah continued.
Liverpool host Brentford on the final day, but their European fate is not yet completely secured. Bournemouth have enough distance to keep up the pressure, meaning the team in the slot can’t afford to collapse any further.
Liverpool can change managers, systems and players, but they cannot lose the attacking power the club was feared for. His final demands are not just on a result against Brentford. It’s about Liverpool remembering who they are.
