Liverpool manager Arn Slott is under huge pressure to turn things around after Nottingham Forest’s win at Anfield and Wayne Rooney believes he needs to make a big selection.
Manager Wayne Rooney says Arne Slott should send a firm message to his players by removing Mohamed Salah from the starting XI. Liverpool lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, dropping them to 11th in the Premier League, 11 points behind leaders Arsenal.
The Reds’ title defense has collapsed, with Forest becoming the sixth team to beat the Reds in their last seven league games. This is the same number of defeats Liverpool have suffered in their last 58 Premier League games, increasing the pressure on the slot.
In his post-match comments, the Dutchman took responsibility for the slump and admitted that some of his decisions went wrong. Manager Slott once again appointed midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, and selected Alexander Isak instead of Hugo Ekitike up front.
Manchester United legend Rooney believes the Liverpool manager needs to take even braver decisions and double down. Salah has not been very effective by his lofty standards this season, with just five goals and three assists in 17 appearances, and Rooney believes he is unsure of his weight after starting all 12 league games.
He said on the Wayne Rooney Show: “Salah is not 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…”
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“I understand that he is a legend at the club and everything he has done for the club, but if you are on the bench, what message does it send to you that your team-mates are not running away? He starts every game. If I were Arne Slott, I would try to make big decisions that affect the rest of the team.”
When asked if Salah should be let go, 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 get all the players to go and build a team that’s compact and hard to lose.”
“And 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 clashed with Virgil van Dijk over harsh criticism of the Liverpool captain, but has supported Van Dijk’s comments while sharing responsibility. “In terms of performance, it’s really continued what I said before, but it wasn’t great,” he said.
“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 for the last few years, and (Ryan) Gravenbirch, who did very well last season, they have to pull themselves together and try to get past everyone and create another win that brings us a win.”
Emotional words from Andy Robertson, who helped Scotland qualify for the World Cup, have once again highlighted the impact that Diogo Jota’s death continues to have on Liverpool’s team. “Sadly you have to think about the impact of what happened to Jota,” Rooney added.
“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.”
Liverpool will lose Salah in December’s Africa Cup of Nations, where the 33-year-old will play for Egypt.
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