Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney believes the fallout from Mohamed Salah’s comments could now unsettle Arne Slott’s entire Liverpool squad.
The former England captain told the Wayne Rooney Show that new signings will naturally focus on senior figures like Salah and Virgil van Dijk, and if Salah expresses his displeasure publicly then that energy will filter into the dressing room and rub off on the players Slott is trying to integrate.
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Rooney advised Slott to show authority and drop Salah from the squad entirely, allowing him to focus on representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations once the dust settles.
“I think it will have an impact on other players,” Rooney said. “If you signed for Liverpool and you walked into the dressing room you would see Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk. If Mo said that, I think he would be very quiet on the training ground and that in itself would give a negative energy to the new players that Anae is bringing in.”
“For me, he either has to speak to the manager, come out and make some suggestions and try to correct it, or he has to leave the football club. Both parties need to resolve this issue quickly.”
“I think Arne Slott has to show his authority tomorrow, pull him in and say, ‘Listen, you’re not traveling with the team and what you’re saying is unacceptable. Go to the Africa Cup of Nations yourself and calm things down’.”
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“I think Arn Slott will be completely in control tomorrow. If Slott keeps him in the team, I think there will be problems. If I were Arn Slott tomorrow, there’s no way I would keep him anywhere near the team.”
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[BBC]
[BBC]
