Sports
Salah: “I can’t believe I’m on the bench” — Egyptian star opens up
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has voiced deep frustration after being benched for the third consecutive Premier League match, following the Reds’ 3-3 draw against Leeds United on Saturday.
The 33-year-old, who has been central to Liverpool’s success since arriving in 2017, said the sudden decision to drop him has left him feeling scapegoated for the club’s poor run of form this season.
Liverpool have endured a difficult campaign, failing to win eight of their 15 league fixtures and securing maximum points only twice in their last ten outings, a stark contrast to their title-chasing standards in previous years.
Salah, who featured consistently throughout the team’s struggles, has been left out of the starting lineup for the past three games and did not play at all in two of them. The Egyptian superstar, with 188 Premier League goals to his name, admitted he finds the situation baffling.
“Honestly, I can’t believe I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes — for the third time,” he told journalists after the game. “It’s the first time in my career. I’m very, very disappointed. I have done so much for this club over the years, especially last season. Now I’m suddenly on the bench, and I don’t know why.”
Salah hinted at a deeper rift behind the scenes, suggesting he is being unfairly positioned as the fall guy for Liverpool’s faltering season.
“It feels like the club has thrown me under the bus,” he said. “It looks very clear to me that someone wants me to take all the blame. I got a lot of promises in the summer when I signed the contract extension, but now I’m benched for three straight games. I can’t say they kept their promises.”
The forward also suggested that his once-strong relationship with the manager has broken down.
“I used to have a good relationship with the manager, but now it feels like we don’t have any relationship at all,” he said. “I don’t know why, but from the way things look, someone doesn’t want me at the club.”
Despite the tension, Salah stressed his enduring affection for Liverpool.
“This club will always mean a lot to me. My kids support the club, and I always will. I told my family to come for the Brighton game. I don’t even know if I will play, but I want to enjoy it because I don’t know what will happen next.”
With the Africa Cup of Nations fast approaching, the Egypt captain said he plans to use his time away to reflect.
“I will be at Anfield to say goodbye to the fans before I head to AFCON. I don’t know what will happen when I get there.”
His remarks have fueled widespread speculation over his future at Liverpool, with suggestions that the latest developments may signal the beginning of the end of his Anfield journey.
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