The 33-year-old forward, who is set to leave the club at the end of the season after nine historic years, took to social media on Saturday to express his deep frustration following Liverpool’s demoralising 4-2 defeat against Aston Villa on Friday.
The result has left the Reds’ hopes of Champions League qualification hanging by a thread, with the team currently sitting fifth in the Premier League table.
In what appeared to be a thinly-veiled attack on head coach Arne Slot’s tactical approach, Salah took to social media to suggest that the fear factor once associated with Liverpool has vanished.
"I have witnessed this club go from doubters to believers, and from believers to champions," Salah wrote to his millions of followers. "It took hard work and I always did everything I could to help the club get there. Nothing makes me prouder than that."
Reflecting on a season that has seen Liverpool suffer 12 league defeats and a total of 20 losses across all competitions, the Egyptian star was blunt about the current state of affairs.
"Us crumbling to yet another defeat this season was very painful and not what our fans deserve. I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear and back to being a team that wins trophies."
The phrase "heavy metal football", famously coined by former manager Jürgen Klopp to describe Liverpool's high-intensity, pressing, fast-transition style, has become symbolic of the club's most celebrated period. Salah's insistence that this identity "cannot be negotiable" and that "everyone that joins this club should adapt to it" marks one of the most direct public interventions by a departing player in recent memory.
"That is the football I know how to play and that is the identity that needs to be recovered and kept for good," Salah added. "Winning some games here and there is not what Liverpool should be about. All teams win games."
The statement arrives amid a difficult title defence for Liverpool, who have already registered 12 Premier League defeats this campaign, a stark contrast to their dominant 2024/2025 title-winning season.
While Slot has publicly praised Salah's professionalism and legacy, stating the Egyptian "deserves a big send-off", tensions over tactical direction appear to have surfaced at a critical juncture.
Widespread backing for Salah's stance
Salah’s criticism did not go unnoticed inside Liverpool’s dressing room, as several players publicly backed his Instagram statement, including Dominik Szoboszlai, Harvey Elliott, Andy Robertson, Hugo Ekitike, Curtis Jones and Wataru Endo.
Ekitike and Jones also commented on the post with supportive emojis, signalling clear approval of the Egyptian’s remarks.
Jones later issued a separate message, thanking supporters for their backing during what he described as a disappointing campaign that fell below Liverpool’s standards.
Club captain Virgil van Dijk also praised travelling fans for their support throughout a season marked by inconsistency and poor away results.
The coordinated response from Liverpool players fuelled speculation about growing dissatisfaction within the squad over manager Arne Slot and his tactical approach.
Supporters quickly echoed Salah’s concerns across fan forums and social media, with one fan writing that the Egyptian forward’s statement showed the club’s struggles extended beyond individual performances, while another praised his leadership and influence off the pitch.
Many supporters also viewed Salah’s comments as evidence of a widening disconnect between the manager and the squad, arguing that the forward chose to speak out because of his strong attachment to the club despite his expected departure.
A legacy etched in silver
Salah's departure closes a chapter of unprecedented success for both player and club. Since arriving from AS Roma in 2017, the Egyptian has been instrumental in Liverpool's resurgence, helping the team secure eight major trophies: two Premier League titles (2019/2020, 2024/2025), one UEFA Champions League (2018/2019), one FA Cup (2021/2022), two League Cups (2021/2022, 2023/2024), one UEFA Super Cup (2019), and one FIFA Club World Cup (2019).
Statistically, his impact has been historic. Salah has scored 257 goals in 441 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool, ranking third in the club's all-time scoring charts behind only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.
In the Premier League alone, his 191 goals and 93 assists represent the most goal contributions by any player for a single club in the competition's history.
He has claimed the Premier League Golden Boot four times (2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2021/2022, 2024/2025), matching Thierry Henry's record, and has been named PFA Players' Player of the Year three times, a first in the award's history.
His 53 Champions League goals for Liverpool remain the most by any player in the club's European history.
With one match remaining, against Brentford at Anfield, Salah has reaffirmed his commitment to securing Champions League football for next season. "As I've always said, qualifying to next season's Champions League is the bare minimum and I will do everything I can to make that happen," he stated.
Liverpool currently sit fifth in the Premier League table, five points clear of sixth-placed Bournemouth with only goal difference potentially separating the sides should points finish level.
A win against Brentford, combined with favourable results elsewhere, would secure European football's elite competition for another season.
For Salah, the final whistle at Anfield will mark the end of an era. Yet his parting words suggest a deeper concern; that Liverpool's institutional identity, forged in relentless pressing, vertical attacking, and trophy-winning mentality, must endure beyond any individual, manager, or season.
"Liverpool will always be a club that means a great deal to me and to my family," he concluded. "I want to see it succeed for long after I have moved on."
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
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