Pundit says Liverpool’s manager must “make a big decision” that will impact the rest of the squad
Wayne Rooney has urged Liverpool manager Arne Slot to remove Mohamed Salah from his starting XI.
Liverpool were beaten 3-0 at home by Nottingham Forest on Saturday, leaving the champions in the bottom half of the Premier League and 11 points behind league leaders Arsenal after 12 games.
The defeat also extended the Reds’ run to six losses in seven league matches and followed a 3-0 loss to Manchester City before the international break, meaning Slot’s side have now conceded six unanswered goals in their last two games.
Rooney warned that Salah was “not helping them defensively”. He also said it doesn’t help the mood in the squad when new signings see a senior player “not running back” but still retaining his place.
“I get he’s a club legend and everything he’s done for the club,” said Rooney. “But if you’re on the bench then what message does that send?
“If I was Arne Slot, I’d try and make a big decision just so it has an impact on the rest of the team.
“When you’re not winning games, you want to stay compact and hard to beat. He needs to make a decision and get them compact, get them hard to beat and every player running back.
“When they start winning games you can bring him back in and hope that he is running back more.”
Rooney has criticised both Salah and Van Dijk this season, but this time he also spared a few words for other senior members of the team
“They haven’t been great at all, and that’s not just van Dijk and Salah,” said Manchester United’s record goalscorer.
“I’d like to say they’re the leaders in the team but the likes of Mac Allister, who’s been there for a few years now, Gravenberch who did really well last year, these players have got to pull things out, get behind everyone and try and create a team that’s going to win again.”
